New Beginnings
by xxChristiexx
Summary: SVSY. Come along for the ride as each character starts their senior year, experiencing new love, friendship and life in general. IN PROCESS OF BEING RE-EDITED
1. Coming Back To The World

_Another day,_  
_It's she same habit she tries to break._  
_It doesnt go away._  
_Her thoughts still say_  
_theres more to life than this._

Phone Calls From Home, "Coming Back To The World"

* * *

_New Beginnings_

_Chapter One_

Monday morning Connor McDermott walked to homeroom class after his usual pep talk given to him from his friend Tia Ramirez. Two weeks had passed since his transfer to Sweet Valley High for his senior year of high school after his former school, El Carro High was badly damanged in the earthquake.

"Ah, Mr. McDermott, I am so glad you're going to be kind enough to grace us with your presence this morning. Please take a seat and I shall mark you down as here along with the rest of the class." Mrs. Simpson gave a glum smile in Conner's direction as she ticked his name off roll call.

Conner didn't say a word. He merely shrugged his shoulder as he made his way toward his desk and plopped down in his chair, dropping his bag down onto the floor next to his seat. He wasn't one for many words or emotion for that matter.

As Mrs. Simpson began her daily notes-rollcall, excursion permission slips, assignment reminders-Conner's attention fell off of the teacher and onto something or someone entirely different. There she was. Conner was in awe of the stunning blonde haired girl sitting two desks away from him. He couldn't see her face as her full attention was given to the teacher but Conner had to assume she could have been an angel sent from heaven.

In the two weeks of school beginning, he had not seen her once in school or homeroom and figured she had to be some kind of transfer student otherwise he was sure he would have noticed a girl as beautiful as she was before now.

His mind conjured many thoughts of the blonde when before he realised it, homeroom had finished as the bell rang throughout the school.

Standing up with the rest of the class, he headed towards the classroom door. The stunning blonde haired girl stood up and stepped in front of Conner. She briefly turned around and flashed him a sweet smile and in return, he gave a slight smirk before she disappeared out the door and around the corner, but not before he took noticed of the walking aid she grasped onto for support with her hand as she walked out of the room.

Desperate to know a little more of this blonde beauty that had suddenly entered his world, he briskly went out the door in search for perhaps another vision of her or even better a name to the girl but became unstuck when she was no where to be seen. This girl had disappeared into thin air. Perhaps she was merely a pigment of his imagination twirling around in his head that was unnecessarily stirred up when he caused some what of a friend bust up when he got in the middle of two beautifully complied friends.

After that debacle, he vowed never to become involved in any relationship of any form regardless whether or not the girl was gorgeous. No one was worth the trouble to allow him to be in one. He had seen his friends juggle their rather dysfunctional relationships not to mention his mother's failed marriages. He was not one to down that same path. So why couldn't he get this unknown girl out of his mind?

* * *

Following class, Jessica had been called into Coach Laufeld's office to discuss the pep rally in which she in coincidently missed – no thanks to three girls on the squad.

As Coach continued her lecture to Jessica about how she missed it and didn't even bother to call to let her know she wouldn't be there, Jessica sat nervously as she was barely able to process what was going on and who on the squad would actually make up an excuse for her. She knew of at least three girls who would want to destroy her life and kick her off the squad.

"Hold on a second, Wakefield."

_Uh-oh_, she slammed back into her seat and turned to see what she thought could be a pity me expression planted on her coach.

"Is there anything you would like to talk to me about?" She asked. "Is there anything going on among you and the other squad members? If there is, please let me know because I will not stand for any backlash between the squad – not if it will affect the squad."

Jessica's heart was pounding. Gee, Lauder was either psychic or she knew too much already about her squad. She couldn't tell on her team mates. They'd really have it for her then – more so than they already do. It was enough as it was now; she didn't need it any worst.

"No, Coach," Jessica said with a straight face – she hoped.

Coach Laufeld narrowed her eyes for a moment. "Okay Jessica. I know I don't have to tell you this but I'm going to anyway," she took a deep breath and concluded. "If this happens again, there will be serious consequences."

"Don't worry," Jessica said with concern. "It won't happen again."

"Okay, go change your clothes and get warmed up. Taylor is returning to school today so we have to work Ms. Morris into our routines," Coach Laufeld dismissed Jessica. "And Jessica, you can always come to me if you need to talk."

"Thanks Coach," Jessica said. She practically floated into the locker room. After she'd dreaded the encounter all weekend, their meeting was simple. But coming face to face with the rest of the squad wasn't going to be easy.

The locker room was deserted which was the way she liked it. Grabbing her duffel bag, she started to change. Maybe when she joined the squad, she'd at least see some sympathy from someone or better yet on Taylor's face. It was her first day back at school; she didn't have a clue as to what was happening. At least she'd have at least one friend on the squad to talk to.


	2. For Too Long

_There's no reason to fight_  
_Cause you've battled the world_  
_Every day of your life_  
_And I've been watching you cry_  
_For too long, for too long_

The Latency, "For Too Long"

* * *

_Chapter Two_

The morning had gone by excessively smooth for sixteen year old Taylor with her many classes being a brisk walk in the park despite her lack of school these past two weeks. Her teachers had all been proofed in regards to her absence from school. In fact, Taylor was ready to return to school when school resumed but her parents had insisted she spend more time at home recovering from her ordeal before she went back to school. It wasn't like she didn't know the school. She had been there for a year now having moved from Los Angeles to California when her father received a job offer too impossible to pass up.

She was sixteen years old for gods' sake. She could protect herself and she had friends who would look out for her especially since she would be seeing Josh everyday now that they both attended the same school. Melissa had advised her that she, Will, Josh and half a dozen of her friends had been transferred to Sweet Valley High. Until now, Sweet Valley High had been her school and Taylor took pride in the fact that she had something separate from Melissa. She had a life away from her cousin. But now that they would be at the same school, her _old life_ was merely be a recollection of the past.

Taylor hated having to sit at home and just contemplate with the TV, magazines, her three younger brothers, her black berry which she would be lost without if she didn't have it to text her friends. And on top of the list she had to get out of the house was her over protective parents whom were always at every beckoned need of hers whether she wanted it or not. Although she knew that her father was protective more than ever because he had coincidently found out about Josh' cheating ways after Taylor had refused to see him at the hospital and her parents were longing to know why. He didn't want to have to mend his daughter's heart or risk seeing his daughter with a broken heart.

And to make matters worst, her mother was a doctor so she was constantly using her medical knowledge to fix her daughter's injuries which really irritated Taylor. She simply wanted to go to school and try to adapt to life of a normal high school student as best as she could. Taylor knew she felt better – a lot better than when she had first been admitted to hospital. It was after the earthquake had happened. The night of the earthquake Taylor had been at home as she got ready to attend Jessica and Elizabeth's seventeenth birthday party. But her whole night came crashing down when earlier that day she discovered her then boyfriend Josh Radinski had been cheating on her for almost three months.

Devastated, she fled home and was determined to stay at home but her best friend Annie Whitman convinced her otherwise. She should attend to have fun and forget all about Josh. Feeling confident, Taylor was excited to attend the party hoping to end the stupid argument she had had with her cousin Olivia Davidson over Josh and his cheating ways. Unfortunately she never made it to the party because the earthquake hit and Taylor was pinned underneath her TV unit in their downstairs living room of her family's spacious six bedroom house.

With Taylor being the only at home at the time, she had no way to send for help except for a couple of text messages she had managed to send to her neighbor asking for help before her phone's battery died on her. It wasn't until her parents arrived home from their dinner together that they found her in an almost unconscious state of mind. She was rushed to the hospital and for two months, she had undergone surgery after surgery, seen doctor after doctor and they all said the same thing. The nerves to her legs were badly damaged when she had been crushed and doctors were unsure as to whether she would even be able to walk again.

Devastated by the outcome she had been told, Taylor soon isolated herself from the rest of the world, unable to face everyone close to her with news she didn't like very much. Her whole world began caving in around her. And to add to her turmoil, her cousin Olivia had died in the earthquake whom she was extremely close to – she, Olivia and her other cousin had often been referred to the three musketeers because when they were younger, they'd do everything together despite their one year age difference. Taylor was unable to attend her funeral being that she wasn't allowed out of hospital, furthering to feel guilty for the verbal remarks she had said to Olivia the day before the earth quake struck. She would never be able to take those words back.

But two weeks after the funeral, Taylor finally decided to fight towards gaining movement in her legs. She was determined to walk again; she knew Olivia wouldn't want her to be depressed. So she defied doctors and with the support of family and friends, she fought hard to walk again with physio therapy. She did not want to live life in a wheelchair for the rest of her life if there was a little chance that she could walk again. And indeed she did – having stopped using a wheelchair only a few weeks ago with efforts of walking without it but instead with the assistance of a walking aid.

Taylor was having a hard time controlling the butterflies in her stomach. Here she was standing on the outside of the gym, unable to open the door in order to go in and begin practice. She didn't understand why she was so nervous about cheerleading practice. She had been in the gym a million times last year. She knew practically everyone on the squad – even the girls who had been transferred. She was no stranger; everyone knew about the ordeal she had been through since the earthquake happened. It was the whole purpose of why she still had a spot on the squad without having to come to school to tryout. Taylor was an actual dancer; she had been taking dance class since she was six years old with many certificates and trophies to acknowledge the talent she possessed in dancing.

Still, as she stood there, she couldn't help but feel conscious of where she was. She should be thrilled that she was able to dance let alone walk again after every doctor she had seen commented that she'd be unable to walk again. To Taylor, it was a miracle that she'd be able to continue her passion of dancing that she so loved to do. So why was she so scared in doing so to walk in the door to cheer practice?

"It's so glad to see you back Taylor," a familiar voice called from behind.

Taylor was none too quick to turn around and see Jessica coming towards her dressed in her practice gear.

Immediately Taylor's face erupted into a half smile, suddenly feeling better than a few minutes ago because she saw someone who she liked other than Annie who was also on the squad.

"Hey Jess!" Taylor smiled with enthusiasm. "It's so glad to see a friendly face."

"Uh-huh, yeah I know the feeling," Jessica said.

Taylor raised an eyebrow, noticing the awkwardness in Jessica's voice. What was wrong with her usually flam-buoyant friend?

"So how are you enjoying your first day back?" The way Jessica changed the subject almost as quickly as it began sent out warning bells to Taylor that something wasn't right. Jessica was not herself. She was not a happy cheerleader.

Taylor shrugged. "Well, it is better than being stuck at home and having my Mom constantly fuss over me. But what's up with you? I would have thought that you'd be the first one in the gym. You're like the poster girl for cheerleading.

Jessica's eyes suddenly fell to the ground. "Uh…yeah, well I don't know…I made some wrong actions and now I'm paying for it with my social life."

"Is there anything you want to talk about?" Taylor asked. "You know I'm always here for you and maybe advice from an old friend who doesn't have a snide remark to make about you since she wasn't at school to hear those vicious rumours will actually end up helping you."

Jessica shook her head confidently. "Nope, I'd much rather just forget about everything that has happened than bring it all up again. It's too –,"

"Jessica, we've discussed this. You can't afford to lose anymore practice time than you have done. You should be inside the gym," Coach Laufeld's voice boomed rather softly yet to Taylor and Jessica, it seemed louder and hoarser when she noticed Taylor standing to the side of Jessica. "Ah…Taylor, it's good to see you again. I trust that you've recovered enough to train again."

"Yes."

"Good, then come into the gym please girls. We'll begin our practice session."

As Coach opened the door and led the way, both girls could feel the intensity of nerves by the other and linked arms together as a wave of support. At least they had one another they could count on to stand by the other.

Melissa Fox had a hard time controlling the butterflies in her stomach as she smoothed down her new, red SVH t-shirt and pulled her long, brown hair over her shoulders, coiling a strand of hair around one finger.

Today was the day. Coach Laufeld was going to announce who she had named as captain of the squad.

"So, do you think she'll do it before or after practice?" Gina Cho asked. She was one of Melissa's sidekicks. Often people wondered if she even had her own brain and life or if she just preferred to use Melissa's because she didn't have a backbone and therefore couldn't stand up to her own meanings.

"She has to do it before," Melissa said, staring at the door of the gym. "It will be pure torture if she does it after. I can't stand not knowing if I made captain or not now. She cannot leave me in suspense."

"It doesn't matter Liss," Cherie Reese said with a smile, tossing her long auburn curls over her shoulder. "Everyone knows it is going to be you. I mean who else would it be? Jessica didn't even show up to the pep rally, so why would she be named captain?"

She shook her head as her auburn curls tossed from side to side.

"You made sure of that," Gina retorted with an evil laugh.

Melissa glared at her friend like she had said the wrong thing.

"What? Every one knows."

Melissa looked towards the front of the room where Annie Whitman, Jade Wu and Tia Ramirez were warming up. "Not everyone."

Gina shrugged one shoulder aimlessly. "It's not like they can hear me."

Melissa rolled her eyes and was about to reply to her friend's comment when the door of the gym opened and in walked Coach Laufeld and a surprise to all three girls, Jessica waltzed in too along with Taylor beside her.

Melissa didn't know what to make of it. Had Laufeld named Jessica captain? Were Jessica and Taylor friends? Would Taylor actually backstab her own family and become friends with the enemy? Although technically, Melissa wasn't even aware that Taylor knew what was going on. She certainly hadn't told her…yet.

"You don't think-,"

"No way," Cherie said with certainty. "You can't miss a pep rally and then be named captain."

"Wait a minute," Gina whispered. "Isn't that your cousin talking to the school slut?"

Melissa's gaze fell on the way Taylor was standing next to Jessica, her body turned inward as she whispered something to her, a soft laugh escaping her mouth.

Melissa merely nodded in response as Coach Laufeld glanced around the room to have attention of everyone. Immediately, they all froze in excitement and fear as every team member dropped to the floor.

"I know, you are all expecting me to announce a captain today…"

Melissa squeezed her eyes shut. No longer was she able to look at anyone especially Jessica. Yes, she felt guilty for doing what she did but she had her reasons for doing it.

"But I'm not ready to make my decision just yet."

_What?_ Melissa could have practically screeched out in shock. Looking at Cherie, her expression resembled the same mirrored expression. How could she do this to her?

"I feel that I don't know the new girls well enough to make an informed decision. Also with Taylor back from her absence, we have a full squad and I feel that with more determination, I have a better chance of finding someone who is right for captaincy. I promise you that I will make a decision before the game on Saturday."

She turned to Taylor and smiled. "Would you like to lead drills so everyone can see just how lucky they are to have you remain on the squad?"

Taylor nodded and walked as best as she could to the centre of the gym, ready to begin a few slow drills to ease into practice.

Melissa watched her take the lead and shook her head repeatedly. It was like Coach Laufeld though her cousin held up the squad just because she was an actual dancer and had the euthenics to prove it. She knew she should be grateful her cousin was fine and all after everything she went through but Melissa didn't think it was fair to show Taylor the special treatment and let her lead the team during her first practice session for the year. She figured Taylor would be eased into practice slowly.

Without taking her eyes off Taylor, Cherie whispered to Melissa.

"So, what are we going to do about Taylor?"

Knowing all too well that she knew Cherie was talking about her cousin's friendship with Jessica, Melissa responded silently.

"Not _we_." Melissa said, placing her hands on her hips as she watched her cousin with full attention. "I think it's time I had a little chat to my cousin about the rules of family."

It was about time Taylor knew to stay well away from any impending job as captain – as a cousin it was her role to give it to Melissa as well as keep sides with her rather than Jessica. And she was sure to make sure Taylor knew these _rules_.


	3. So Crazy

_**I woke up at two**_  
_**With nothing to do**_  
_**But stare at the ceiling in my room**_  
_**There's places I'll go**_  
_**When I'm stuck here lyin' on the floor**_

The Bigger Lights, "So Crazy"

* * *

_Chapter Three_

After a rather gruelling yet easy practice session, Taylor was in the change room along with a few of the others who were still changing back into their non-sport clothes.

"Hey Taylor, how are you?" Melissa asked casually.

Taylor whipped around to find Melissa, Cherie and Gina staring at her.

"Hi guys," she replied as she took out her hair brush from her sports bag and began brushing her hair.

"So Taylor, how long have you and _Jessica _been friends?" Gina asked which made Cherie break out in a little laugh but Melissa nudged them both to shut up. Meanwhile, Taylor was confused as to why they were even talking to her about her friendship with Jessica. What did they care if she was friends with Jessica?

Melissa smiled smugly. "What Gina means is; are you Jessica good friends?"

Taylor shrugged, unaware where this was going and why. "I don't know…I guess so. I mean, we've been friends since I joined the squad last year as a sophomore so yeah we're good friends. Why? What is this about, Melissa?" she asked, her question point blank aimed at Melissa. She figured she'd square in on just her cousin rather than include her posse since there was rarely a time when she had something to do with Cherie and Gina anyway.

"Well I'm not-," Cherie began but was cut off by Melissa who returned her an evil glare as to say she asked me, so let-me-handle-it.

"I'm not sure it's wise of you to be friends with her," Melissa said, getting straight to the point.

"Why?"

"She's a backstabbing bitch," Gina said.

"Not to mention, a boyfriend stealing bitch," Cherie added.

Taylor stood still, unable to piece together what was being said to her. Why were they even here? Yes, she knew what Jessica was like but she wasn't what they were saying she was. She finished brushing her hair, leaving it out to flow around her shoulders. Putting her brush in her beige corduroy bag, she draped it over shoulder.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked with wide eyes.

"I'm warning you so you know what your friend is _really_ like," Melissa said. "And as your cousin, I figured I'd let you hear it from me than from somebody else-someone who's well aware of what she's like socially first hand."

Oh, so that was Melissa's problem. Jessica had _supposedly_ made a move on Will. But Taylor figured Will wouldn't be as innocent as Melissa would have liked to think he was because it was usually Will who would make the first moves in the first place.

Proudly standing up, Taylor spoke in her most condescending tone, attempting to triumph over Melissa who sometimes gave out a _I'm better than you_ vibe when she spoke to someone. "Oh, I get it. You're worried Will is going to leave you because he made the moves on Jessica and he led you to believe that she came onto him first."

"Please! I am not worried Will is going to leave me. He loves me and it was Jessica who came onto him."

Taylor rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. "So, that's the lame story he fed you and once again, you believed him-like always. How very noble of you to stick by him-again." Taylor clasped her hands together. "You know, he's got you wrapped around his little finger because he knows he's able to spin the truth any way to make it look as though he's not the bad guy while you carry out some kind of smear campaign against the girl who supposedly betrayed your trust. Let me guess, that's what you're doing to Jessica, right? You though you could be friends but when you found out she went out with Will, you knew you would have to get her back somehow and so you started spreading lies about her."

"They're not lies!" Cherie quipped, feeling the need to defend her friend. It was always the way.

"Whatever. I wasn't talking to you." Taylor said.

"Look, I'm only telling you because you can't be too careful around Jessica and we're cousins. You don't have to be a bitch about it."

"I'm not being a bitch Melissa but I was friends with Jessica last year when you didn't go to this school. I didn't have a problem with her then and I still don't now. The problem that I do have seems to be with you and your many attempts to sabotage my friendships with people you may happen to dislike. So if this was your way of telling me you don't want me to be friends with Jessica because of what went down between Jessica and Will then it isn't working. You can't tell me who I can and can't be friends with. I don't take orders from you."

Walking to the door with her walking aid in her hand for support, Taylor gave one final piece of advice to Melissa.

"As much as I don't want to be the bearer of bad news and come between your relationship problems with Will, I feel I have no other choice, especially when you try and force me to choose sides between my friend and my family which is so not cool. But Liss, you have to know that I really do care about you. You're my cousin. I'll always have your back as you have had mine all my life. I don't want to see your heart broken. But at the same time, I can't go along with whatever scheme you're planning. If Will loves you like he says he does then you have nothing to worry about, do you?"

And with that, she headed out of the change room. Taylor didn't know the full extent as to what exactly went down between Melissa, Jessica and Will but she had managed to conjure up a vague idea-enough of an idea to know why Melissa was hell bent on sending Jessica along the path to social Siberia.

Walking towards the exit as she rounded a corner, she saw Josh walking towards her. Oh, crap! She had caught his attention.

Great! Just what she needed; more confrontation than she really wanted. How much more of today could she take?

"Taylor, wait. We need to talk," he said, trying to catch up with her. As she turned around, he was given a chance to gently brush his arm up against hers, sending those same tingly feelings she had used to feel when they were still a couple. Curse those damn recurring feelings. Why wasn't she able to completely rid her heart of feeling anything stronger than hatred for him?

"Don't Josh," she strained out anxiously. "I just can't do this right now."

And as quick as she could, she moved down the hall towards the exit of the school. She just couldn't deal with Josh right now. It was all too much for a first day back at school. School was finished for the day but right now; home was looking better than it had in two weeks.

Outside in the warm Californian sunshine, she paced herself towards her friend Chloe's car. She was sixteen and held her drivers license yet she was unable to drive as of this moment due to her legs where they were still too weak in order to drive to a car.

At the far end of the car park, she found the same guy who she remembered seeing in homeroom class. He was perched at the end of his black mustang – looking like he was waiting for someone (whoever that could be). It didn't look like he could see her because he kept his gaze firmly ahead of him yet from a distance, Taylor could see the way his short, rugged hair bought out his features. There was something about this guy – someone she had never really come to a halt in her life but now that she had – she'd like to get to know him better. But with his good looks, he probably had a girlfriend and at this point in her life, she wasn't looking for a boyfriend to contemplate with. She had just come out of a relationship – she wasn't ready to start one back up. Still, she couldn't help but analyse the guy of her pigment imagination – she was entitled to that; right?

* * *

Walking towards the school exit, Jessica made sure she was the last one to leave practice as quick prevention of avoiding Melissa and her small army.

As she opened the door, she saw Tia Ramirez standing by the stairs.

"Ambush time?"

"It's not an ambush Jess," Tia said. "I didn't set you up. I didn't know what was going either. They set _me_ up."

"What are you talking about?" Jessica hesitated slightly. She wanted to know the story Tia was talking about but she was still unsure as to who she should believe.

"Cherie called me and told me about the change of plans," Tia explained as she took a deep breath. "She said Lila was going to tell you but she told Lila that you already knew about the plan. She lied to everyone and as far as I know, when I told you that we were all meeting at Melissa's; that was still the plan."

Jessica's shoulders sagged as if the air had been dragged out of her.

"Are you okay?" Tia asked.

"I should have known," Jessica dragged out as she sat herself down on the top step. In gratitude, Tia sat down beside which came as a total shock to Jessica. She never realised just how much she actually cared about her.

"Don't worry," Tia smiled. "Those girls are going to get their revenge."

"What do you mean?"

Tia looked seriously at Jess with concern. "This whole charade has got to stop. It has gone on too long and I'm sure if someone doesn't put an end to it soon then I'm sure Melissa has plans to drag Taylor into the middle of her little game."

Jessica stood up with a confused expression. "What does Taylor have to do with it? Why would she be dragged into my mess?"

"You don't know?" Tia asked.

"Know what?"

Tia sighed. "Taylor and Melissa are cousins."

Tia paused and saw the scared look Jessica was now baring. She was friends with the girl who was a cousin to Melissa. What if she blabbed back to Melissa about her life?

"Don't worry Jess. Taylor and Melissa have completely different traits – she's the nice one. Believe me, I know – Taylor is my neighbour," she explained which relieved Jessica to hear the news. "But by the way I saw Melissa looking when you walked into the gym with Taylor at the beginning of practice, it was like she mortified that her _own_ family was talking to you. I'm sure she'd have a plan up her sleeve to get Taylor involved somehow. Taylor doesn't need mess right now which is why someone needs to end this once and for all."

"Tia, I'm sorry for blaming you but you shouldn't put yourself in the middle on my account."

"I'm not Jess," Tia stood up and grabbed her bag. "Cherie put me in the middle when she lied to me. And I'm sure it was Melissa's doing. That girl has always been conniving but I don't appreciate being used."

Jessica liked this feisty side to Tia. She was impressed.

"So, what are you going to do?" Jessica asked.

"Maybe it's time Melissa got a taste of her own medicine," Tia grinned as she and Jess headed for the parking lot. "Then we'll see how she likes to be the talk of the school."

Jessica was now more confused than ever but a look of glint in Tia's eyes made her smile. Maybe this would turn itself around after all.

* * *

Conner aimlessly drummed his fingers against the edge of the keyboard as he stared off into space while wishing he had something to do. Facebook wasn't on his usual list of things he'd be caught using. In fact, he wasn't even at fault of joining the social networking site. It was Tia who had single-handedly persuaded or more like demanded he sign up as a way of connecting with people he used to go to school with before the whole merging between two schools happened as a result of the disastrous earth quake. Every once in a while when he was spurge with time on his hands, he usually wound up on this time wasting website. He supposed he could be doing homework but let's face it, he wasn't one to do homework ahead of the due date.

He could even be sitting down to write a stimulous verse of a new song but lately, he felt he had nothing to contribute to any kind of inspiration towards a song. His muse was lacking, if not awakened from his harsh state of boredom and randomly hovered his mouse cursor over the web page, refreshing the page once more and this time Tia's name popped onto his home page. Apparently, she had commented on a girl named Taylor status. Curious, Conner clicked on the status link followed by Taylor's facebook page visualising on his computer screen. The picture showed of the girl he remembered seeing in his homeroom class today. She had a big smile on her face and her blonde hair was splayed around her shoulders. She was Taylor. He continued reading farther down the screen.

**Taylor M.** is officially back at school! Yay!

**Annie Whitman**, **Tia Ramirez** and **1** other person likes this.

**Brittany** Where the hell is the dislike button when U need one? Who are U and what have U done to my friend?

**Grace** ^ LOL, Britt. But seriously, yay, Tay! Someone who actually "gets" Brittany.

**Taylor M** Brittany, if you had been stuck home with nothing 2 do cept' have your whole family fuss over you like you couldn't do anything yourself, you'd be happy to have the freedom of going to school as well. Having one of your parents as a doctor is not all that it's cracked up 2 be. Take my word for it. School is freedom if it means I'm away from my Mom for 6 hrs.

**Annie Whitman **Whatevs, I'm just happy 2 have my best friend back. BTW, how's your back after that gruelling cheer practice?

**Taylor M** What do you mean gruelling? Some of us have all the luck! Wasn't gruelling for me if you count me sitting on the bench for most of practice while I watched you girls cheer...totally unfair! :( doesn't coach know I'm OK 2 cheer? I wouldn't be school if I wasn't. Mom would make sure of it.

**Tia Ramirez** Good to have you back at school. Wasn't the same without you!

Conner never would have guessed it. Taylor had actually wanted to return to school today. But after everything she had probably been through, who wouldn't be anticipating the first day of school? Then Conner did something he didn't anticipate. He pressed the _add friend_ button, despite the fact that she was obviously a cheer leader. He didn't go out with cheer leaders. He had nothing to do with any kind of person interested in some kind of physical activity except for Tia. Truth be told, he wasn't exactly the kind of guy most cheer leaders wanted anything to do with because on most occasions, he wasn't as cheerful as they would have liked. He knew there was a possibility she wouldn't want to be his friend. After all, she didn't know him to a bar of soap. But he was hoping there was a chance she would want to be friends with him because there was a lot he wanted to learn about her.


	4. Crazy Times

_Chapter Four_

Tuesday at lunch, Conner McDermott sat at a table with his usual group of friends. This time, the focus had apparently turned to two forms of discussions – the cafeteria lunch menu and cheerleading – none of which he was remotely listening to or cared about taking part in. Instead he was the one who sat at the table eating and rolling his eyes into the back of his head. Oh, how he loved lunch when his friends could talk topics that he didn't care to discuss.

He'd much rather be somewhere else, doing anything else than having to listen to his comic friend Andy Marsden digest the latest foods or hear Tia and her new friend Jessica (whom coincidently was a sister to Elizabeth – the girl he wanted to forget about because she had irrupted his life and wandered into his house to which he had his younger sister Megan to thank for that) ramble on about the social standards of the cheerleading squad.

Conner probably wouldn't have bothered to show up at school if it meant that he'd be away from Elizabeth and Maria (whom he briefly dated for a few days) but the ambitious image he had swirling around in his head of the stunning blonde beauty he had seen in his homeroom class yesterday was the reason he had managed to make it to school. But his head had let him down today because the girl that had been disturbing his dysfunctional thoughts wasn't in class today and Connor was beginning to think that maybe this girl didn't exist. Maybe he had conjured the girl after the mess those girls – who would remain nameless – had had an effect on his nonsensical personal life.

As of the moment, he began to drift back to reality when Andy who sat beside him spoke words other than the cafeteria menu.

"Hey! Who's the girl you're waving to Tia?" Andy asked, stuffing a mouthful of chips into his mouth.

Both Tia and Jessica turned around from waving a distinct hello to her to respond.

Desperate to be rid of his thoughts, Connor lifted his head in Andy's direction and found the girl who had been circulating his head.

_So she does exist_, Connor thought. _Well, at least I know I didn't just make her up. _

"That girl is Taylor," Tia replied, munching on a piece of lettuce.

"And how exactly do you two know her?" Andy asked, wanting to know more to this story that seemed to be going no where.

"She's a cheerleader," Jessica continued.

_Great! Knowing my luck, the girl I can't get out of my head is a cheerleader. Just what I need; another cheerleader in my life. Tia was bad enough._

Andy nodded. "Ah, so she's one of those intellectual disturbed cheerleaders too. Like you?"

To that comment, Conner gave a slight laugh – a first since lunch had begun – while he received a scowl from Jessica and a punch from Tia.

"What did you say her name was?" Connor questioned, cutting into the conversation.

Tia gave her friend a clueless look. "Taylor. Do you know her?"

"Not exactly no but she was in my homeroom class yesterday."

Andy looked directly at his friend with a comic facial expression. "Dude, if she's in your homeroom then she would have been there today."

"No she wasn't. So what is with the walking aid she's using?" Connor motioned to Tia.

"She was seriously injured in the earthquake. She's lucky to be alive and walking. She only came back to school yesterday – her parents wanted her to recover at home before she ventured back to school," Tia said.

"Yeah and I think she actually had a doctor's appointment this morning which would explain why she probably wasn't in homeroom this morning," Jessica continued.

Tia focused on Conner who was usually the guy who never asked questions and grunted at everything was said among a group.

"So Connor, my socially distorted friend; why are you so suddenly interested in Taylor? Are you interested in her or something?"

Tia knew what Connor was like. He didn't do relationships; he hooked up with the girl and after a few weeks of kissing, once the girl wanted to get serious; Connor would end their fun together. It was what he always did and Taylor definitely didn't deserve another round of heart break.

"Interested in Taylor? Tia, I hardly know the girl. Why would I be interested in her?"

Tia shrugged with wide eyes. "I don't know…that's never stopped you before. So I'm just wondering, why else would you be asking questions about her?"

Conner looked down at his tray and then back to Tia. "Okay, I know what I've done in the past but this isn't one of _those_ times. I was merely asking because I hadn't seen her since before yesterday and," Connor paused. He didn't have to explain his actions to Tia. It was his business. She didn't need to know everything; she already though she did. That was bad enough. "Can we just forget about me please; it's none of your business."

"Actually, it is my business in regards to your dysfunctional love life. Taylor is my friend – therefore I'm looking out for her. She doesn't need the egotism of boy dramas right now – believe me; she's had enough to last her a lifetime."

Conner stared at her with consistency. "Whatever Tee, I know that you like to look out for your friends but you have nothing to worry about because I am not interested in her. Anyway how else do you know her?"

Tia flexed her shoulders and munched on a French fry. "We're cheerleaders together – plus she's my next door neighbour."

"Taylor is your neighbour?" Andy spat out unnecessarily.

"Uh…yeah, that's what I just said.

"So, she lives in the house that is surrounded by the metal security gates?"

"Uh-huh, you know. Her family is like one of the richest families in Sweet Valley…" Tia stopped and glanced at Jessica who didn't seem bothered by what she was going to say next.

"Besides Lila Fowler," Jessica finished. "Last year, there was a showdown because Taylor was the new rich girl from New York City and Lila felt intimidated because she wasn't the only one whose family had money and she had to prove to everyone that she had more money that Taylor."

"Wow, who won?" asked Andy, getting more intrigued by the minute.

"Taylor," Jessica smiled. "It all backfired on Lila when everyone discovered that Taylor wasn't as stuck up and high maintenance as she was. The look on her face was priceless when the school liked the fact that Taylor wasn't as prissy as she was but the total opposite. She's simply Daddy's little girl because she's the only girl out of three brothers-kinda like Tia."

As the last few minutes of lunch time lingered on, Conner remained frozen in his seat. His mind conjured up many more thoughts and he found himself studying Taylor as she sat with her friends at an opposing table. And forget what Tia thought about him; a crazy idea had been in his head. He was certain that this wasn't one of those times like it would have been in the past and for a strange reason, he didn't know why but it seemed crazy and right all at the same time.


	5. Confronting the Enemy

_Chapter Five_

"Okay, are you ready?" Tia asked Jessica Tuesday afternoon as she stuffed a notebook into her bag.

"What am I ready for?" Jessica asked as Tia slammed her locker shut. She looked at her friend with expectant eyes.

"For Melissa," Tia replied with a mischevious grin. She swung her shoulder bag over her shoulder and picked her duffel bag up from the floor. "I think we should talk to her now-get our revenge for all the shit she's been spreading about you. It isn't true and she needs to know that you can stand up to her for the way she's been treating you."

"Revenge," Jessica repeated. She followed Tia down the hall, heading for the gym. When she had mentioned Melissa getting a taste of her own medicine yesterday, she hadn't assumed she'd be involved as well. She had a feeling that if she said one word to Melissa, the conversation would only return to Jessica being called a slut again.

"What are you going to say to her?" Jessica asked as she and Tia rounded the corner into the small lobby outside the gym.

Melissa and Will Simmons was the centre of their little crowd including Cherie Reese and Josh Radinski.

"I have no idea but we're going to find out," Tia said as she strolled over to the group. Jessica stood still and watched Tia make her mark.

"Melissa, can I talk to you for a moment?" Tia asked.

Melissa's eyes looked to Will who shrugged. "What's up?"

"Maybe we should talk in private," Tia suggested, angling towards the gym door entrance.

"Why? Whatever you want to say, you can say in front of my friends," Melissa remarked, sensing no visible tension what so ever.

Tia took a deep breath and glanced back to Jessica who looked down at the floor. There was no way she was going over there. She had had enough humiliation to last her a lifetime. She didn't need anymore embarrassment.

"Melissa, do you really want your friends to know what I have to say?"

"Tia," Melissa exhaled casually and in fine shape. "I'm not afraid to be spoken to in front a crowd. Will you please just get to it?"

"Fine, here it is but don't say I didn't warn you," Tia retorted. "I really don't like the fact that you and your friends used me in order to make Jessica miss the pep rally. I don't like what you did to her. In all opinions – it sucks."

She shot a Cherie a scathing look.

Melissa put on the innocent act. What a phoney!

"Tia, I honestly have no idea what you're on about. Are you sure that you have your facts straight?"

Coming from behind Jessica was Taylor who stopped to listen to Tia's showdown with Melissa.

"Oh, please Melissa," Tia laughed. "I must hand it to you; you really are a good liar aren't you? You know all too well what I'm talking about. It's the fact that you make the entire school know that Jessica is a slut just so you can feel better. And on top of that, you deliberately disinvite everyone from your house before the pep rally just Jessica isn't told. I bet it was just your scheme so you can be named captain."

"Look Tia, it isn't my fault if Lila forgot to tell Jessica. I can't be held responsible for when she forgets something."

Tia turned around in direction to who Melissa was staring at and apparently she was giving the death stare to Taylor who had appeared out of no where to stand next to Jessica and wonder what was going on.

It was like Melissa was insulted because she was family and she wasn't taking action to defend her cousin. Instead she was steering clear of the confrontation and was merely listening on.

Turning her attention back to Melissa, she stepped closer to her completely ignoring the fact that Will was hovering over them. Matt Wells and Josh were grinning as if they were looking forward to a cat fight taking place.

"I know about a lot of the stuff you've done Melissa," Tia retorted briefly turning to see Taylor and whisper an apology to her for her upcoming actions and then glanced back to her. "And I'm sure that Taylor can back me up with many more of your bitchy stunts. I'm not stupid and I'm sure Coach Laufeld would love to know of the things you've been up to since school started."

Melissa blinked. Her lower lip began to tremble.

"Tia, how can you threaten me and drag Taylor into this thing. You would turn my own family against me?" Melissa's voice broke. "I thought we were friends."

Tia stepped back. "Oh, please! If Taylor is going to be dragged into this then I bet you'll be the one to do it just like you'd be the one to have her turn against you. But you have nothing to worry about because I'm not going to say anything…however I will if you and your friends don't stop this little game of yours. Everyone is so sick of your bitchy games Melissa and to be frank, they're childish. You're a senior in high school; you're not in junior high anymore. Get over yourself."

"I didn't do anything," Melissa remarked, looking to Will who was looking the other way.

"Uh-huh, whatever gets you to sleep at night," Tia smiled sarcastically. "Just stop the cruel torment Melissa because I will report you if I have to. I am not afraid of you."

"Are you done being a bitch yet?" Cherie asked, staring her down.

"Cherie," Taylor cut in as she came to Tia's defence. "The only bitch around here is you. Stay out of it. This has nothing to do with you."

At Taylor's response, everyone in the group was in utter shock that she had just called Cherie a bitch. It was a long time coming.

Melissa stared towards Taylor as if she was a traitor of even siding with Tia and Jessica. "I'm out of here," she said. She pulled open the door of the girls change room as Cherie and Gina followed her.

"Thanks for the live show Tia," Matt laughed. He pushed his way into the guys' locker room alongside Will but stopped to look back at Josh.

"You comin' dude?"

"Go ahead guys, I'll meet up with you in a minute," he replied.

Matt nodded his head, looking past Tia to Taylor, clearing knowing why Josh would catch up with him later.

Jessica stepped forward to Tia and Taylor.

"Taylor," Josh started. "Can we please talk?"

He sounded sincere like he genuinely wanted to talk to Taylor. A part of Taylor felt bad for Josh knowing that she should talk to him and hear what he has to say but another part of her knows that she isn't ready to have a conversation with Josh after what he had put her through.

Both Tia and Jessica stood close to Taylor like they were her bodyguards and there to protect her.

"Josh, will you leave Taylor alone. Haven't you done enough to her already?" Tia retorted, respectively.

Josh shook his head in disbelief. He ignored Tia's comment, giving eye contact to Taylor and pleading with her to show him some compassion and at least hear what he had to say.

Taylor broke free from Jessica and Tia.

"Tee, thanks for the support," she murmured. "But I can handle Josh. He can't hurt me anymore than he already has."

Tia studied Taylor carefully. "Okay, if you're sure?"

"I am. Go get ready for practice. I'll be there later."

At that seal of approval, Tia and Jessica picked up their duffel bags and pushed open the door to the girls' change room, leaving Taylor and Josh to stand alone in the hallway.


	6. Remembering the Past

_Chapter Six_

Josh studied Taylor with intensity. "I tried to visit you at the hospital."

Taylor nodded. "I know. My parents told me you tried to see me a couple of times. I guess you get an A for determination and not giving up when my parents refused to let you see me."

"Right, so I guess they know what happened between us."

"Uh yeah, they wanted to know why I didn't want to see you so I had to tell them the truth. I wouldn't come by my house; my dad wants to kill you," she laughed.

Feeling the silent tension, she was beginning to feel uncomfortable and awkward.

"So, what do you want to talk about Josh?" Taylor asked, cutting to the chase as quickly as possible. She needed to talk to Josh to try to dissolve this mess but she also wanted to do it her way as quick as it could be done. Spending too much time with Josh was too much she could handle. And she would be late for cheerleading practice which she knew she couldn't afford to miss.

"I was hoping we could talk about us," Josh stammered. It was the first time Taylor had ever seen Josh stammer like he was nervous and didn't know what to say. He was on the football team for goodness sakes. He was never afraid to be himself and talk among girls. Josh was like the king of picking up girls; Taylor was of all people who knew that.

"Oh really, I thought we had made it clear enough where we stood with one another." Taylor folded her arms over her body.

"When was this?"

Taylor stared at him. "Oh gee, I don't know…maybe I thought our relationship status was obvious from the moment when I saw you having sex with a random skank and I walked out of your house repeatedly telling you that we were over."

_Flashback…_

_The door to his room was closed to which was normal. Josh preferred his private time to himself when he was alone in his room._

_Taylor slowly twisted the knob of the door and opened the door to his room. _

_But she wasn't prepared for the vision her eyes entailed when she opened the door – a half-naked Josh with only his duvet cover to cover his body was lying entangled on top of some random girl whom Taylor did not know._

_She couldn't believe it! It was unbelievable! Her boyfriend was having sex with some other girl that wasn't her. A million thoughts started running through her head. She couldn't form a proper sentence._

"_Oh, my god," Taylor whispered and clenched her eyes shut. "What the hell is going on here?"_

"_Taylor, this isn't what it looks like," Josh said from the moment he heard his girlfriends' voice. Jumping from the bed, he grabbed his baggy jeans and whipped them on._

"_It isn't what it looks like?" Taylor screeched unrashionally. "So, what is it then? Because to me it looks like you're having sex with a slut when you have a girlfriend who you're supposedly meant to love." _

_The girl who was merely covered by the duvet cover scrambled to reach for her clothes. "Excuse me girl, but I am not a slut. You have no right to call me that."_

_Rights? Taylor had all the rights to call her whatever she wanted to after she caught her screwing her boyfriend. Josh Radinski. He is her boyfriend. At least he was supposed to be. __He had always treated her well and was so sweet to her even if he was mean to other people. She started wondering if it was all just an act. He had made a fool out of her. She was so stupid and naïve to believe that he was actually being a good boyfriend. She had trusted him completely. The thought of him cheating on her never crossed her mind._

"_Uh-huh, I have every right to call you a slut when I see you having sex with my boyfriend. You do not get to tell me what I call you," Taylor retorted furiously like she could have punched the girl in the face. "Do not talk to me unless you want me to give you a swollen e"ye. There is no reason why you should be talking to me."_

_The girl stumbled to find her clothes and as quick as she could, she placed them back on her body._

_Stalking to the doorway, she examined Taylor up and down. "Next time you want to call me a slut; I suggest you reassess your relationship with your boyfriend. I was only giving him what he clearly wanted-something he obviously wasn't getting from you." She turned back to Josh for a brief second. "Thanks for an insane work-out session, baby," she said in a seductive tone of voice. "I can't wait for our next one. It's sure to be better than this one."_

_Taylor was well aware what this girl was doing. She wanted to get a raise out of her. And it was working. All Taylor felt like doing was hitting her square in the face. To show her how much it hurt to betrayed and humiliated. Taylor took one step forward, ready to take a swing but arms were felt around her body. Josh wasn't going to allow her to take her frustration out on this girl. He was right to hold her back. She had to be the bigger person._

_"Don't do it, Taylor. Be the bigger person. You know it's not going to make you feel any better if you hit her." Josh told Taylor._

_"You're right. It won't make me feel better but I would still feel good knowing I had hit the bitch who slept with my boyfriend." Taylor said through clenched teeth, the anger in her eyes was painted directly at this girl standing in front of her._

_The girl extended her arm. "Oh, honey, you're sadly mistaken. Technically, there was no sleeping involved if you know what I mean but plenty of rounds and beads of sweat."_

_'Don't call me, honey, _honey_." Taylor gave her a dose of her own medicine. Taylor pounced on her again but Josh held her back. "Don't touch me!" Taylor struggled to be free from his grasp. She managed to turn herself around so that she was facing her cheating boyfriend. "You have no right to touch me-not anymore." She pointed a finger into his chest._

_The girl waved to Josh then sauntered out of his bedroom._

"_You don't understand…" Josh started, his face growing serious by the minute._

"_I don't understand?" Taylor screeched. "I understand perfectly Josh. I'm not an idiot or maybe I am since I fell for your lame persuasion when you told me that I was the only girl you wanted to be with. That was a load of garbage. You don't just somehow end up in bed with no clothes on and with a girl who isn't your girlfriend."_

_Taylor turned for the stairs with Josh closely following behind him._

"_It was a mistake."_

_Taylor stopped with her hand resting firmly on the railing for support. She was afraid that if she let go, she'd fall down from the anger she possessed._

"_A mistake? No Josh, the only mistake was me believing those three words you said to me. You don't love me. If you did, I wouldn't have caught you doing what you did with some other girl. Okay, so it's not all your fault. That girl has to take some of the blame as well. She hooked up with another girl's boyfriend. But you could have stopped it from happening. You could have said you had a girlfriend but I guess I didn't even cross your mind when you were doing the nasty with her. All you had on your mind was your stupid male pride and scoring with a hot chick."_

"_Tay…I do love you," he protested reaching out for her waist but she pushed him aside._

"_Don't," she demanded. "You have no right to say you love me when you've just been screwing some other girl. And you certainly don't have the right to call me Tay. Just stay out of my life."_

_She stomped down the stairs furiously, in pain with herself for allowing her heart to get swept up in the emotion of this relationship when she should have listened to Olivia when she said that Josh couldn't be trusted. _

"_And in case you were wondering, we are over so you are free to screw whoever you want," she finished off before she stormed out of the house. _

_After getting out the door she ran outside, holding back the tears that she felt streaming down her cheeks. Josh was not worth it anymore. In direction, she headed for the beach to wipe away her sorrows. She was not ready to go home yet and let her father see her in tears over a cheating ex boyfriend. She didn't want to cry over him but she couldn't help it. Taylor wasn't sure if it was because she had just ended her relationship with her on again off again boyfriend of a year or the fact that she trusted him with her whole heart and he lied to her. One thing she did know – she was glad to know the truth before she decided to lose her virginity to a guy who cheated on her. She flipped open her phone, scrolling through her contact details. Stopping at his name, she pressed delete. She wanted him out of her life for good._

_End Flashback_

Remembering that painful memory only brought back tears to Taylor's eyes. She wasn't ready to relive that memory just yet. She couldn't go back there. It was all too depressing and as much as she had tried to forget all about Josh, she couldn't because now she had to see him everyday at school and during football games on the weekend. She couldn't handle it. She thought she was over him but she wasn't and for that she hated herself because for some stupid reason, she was still in love with the jackass.

"I'm sorry for what I put you through Taylor. I truly am. I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't want to hurt you the way that I did. I can admit it, I was an ass for ever letting you go the way that I did."

Taylor could see the pain in his eyes like he truly was sorry for the hurt he had caused her. She wanted so badly to forgive him but she couldn't. She wasn't ready to.

"After the earthquake hit, I was scared that I'd never get the chance to apologise to you. I don't want to lose you Taylor, I've realised that you mean too much to me, I just can't forget about you."

"Well, you should have thought about that before you decided to get into someone else's pants. If I mean so much to you then you wouldn't have gone and done what you did. You wouldn't have hurt me," Taylor insisted, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes but she knew she wouldn't cry. She had moved on.

"I know but I wasn't thinking then. The earthquake has brought up many unstirred feelings that I still have for you. I don't want to lose you. I haven't seen her since that disturbed day and I don't want to. We go to different schools now."

"Oh, so that it supposed to make me feel better? If you want me to thank the earthquake for enlisting you both to different schools, I can't do that. Because then I'll be saying that I wanted Olivia to die."

"I'm not asking you to do anything Tay. I just want you to consider giving us another shot. I care too much for you to just forget about everything between us. We had good times together," Josh explained.

Taylor looked to the ground, unable to look into his eyes because she was sure that if she did, she'd want the same things as he did – to get back together. But she couldn't do it – not yet.

"I can't Josh, not right now anyway. I just don't know if I can trust you. It isn't that I don't want to be with you – I do, you have no idea how much I just want to run into your arms and have you hold me. But I'm scared to go back to you, knowing the pain you caused me. I forbid having that happen to me again," Taylor strained anxiously.

"I know it's going to take a while for you to trust me again but I'm willing to wait for you baby," he soothed reaching out to touch her soft hand.

Taylor let him touch her hand; the roughness of his hand against her own ran chills up her spine. It bought back old feelings when he used to reach for her hand during scary movies, knowing that she was scared or just in general as a way to protect her.

Soon after, she slowly pulled away from his hand, knowing that she couldn't stand there with him any longer or she'd be wanting to go back to him without learning from these mistakes.

She ran her fingers through her ash blonde hair that was hanging loosely around her shoulders. "I've got to go…" she preceded, her voice soft and unsure.

"Will you at least think about what I said? About our relationship?" Josh questioned, wanting an obvious answer.

Taylor grasped at the strap of her bag and headed to the door of the gym and turned around. "Yes but I'm not making any promises," she answered simply.

"Thank you Tay, I promise I will gain your trust back – I won't let you down again."

With that both headed into the separate doors, and Taylor held a confused spin on her relationship status, wondering where she would take her relationship.


	7. Wonderland

_Chapter Seven_

Practice had finished and after Taylor headed to her locker to retrieve the notebooks she would need to complete her homework tonight, she rounded the corner toward the exit doors and ran into Josh for the second time today.

"Hey!" he said, all crisp from an apparent shower after football practice.

Oh, why did he have to look so hot in his gym shorts and t-shirt? It should have been illegal for Josh to have this kind of effect on his ex-girlfriend. She was trying to get him out of her head and when he continued to pop up everywhere while she was on school grounds, it was becoming harder and harder to just ignore him altogether.

"Hey," she replied back, giving him a friendly smile. She didn't want to put in too much of an effort in case she was mistaken that she wanted him back. And she hadn't made up her mind yet.

"So, you've finished practice?" He asked.

"Yep." Her hand grip of the notebooks she was holding got tighter. She couldn't escape this awkwardness fast enough. "So...Annie is kind of waiting for me."

Josh ran his hands through his short scruffy hair and shifted his feet from side to side.

"Oh, sorry, I won't keep you from your friends but I was just wondering if you had given much thought about what I asked you before," he said.

Taylor stared at him in shock. It was a decision she wouldn't take lightly.

"About me giving you another chance?" Josh nodded his head. Taylor breathed in a deep breath then released it. "You know if I were to give you one more chance then it would be your last chance. You would have to make sure you never betrayed my trust again otherwise I couldn't be with you again. You broke my heart once. I don't think I could handle it a second time." Her face grew serious.

She didn't want to say yes and then risk having her heart broken again. Josh gently grasped at her hand, folding their hands together. His hand was rough against the smoothness of her own. It felt like old times but she couldn't slip into old patterns or what used to be. Too much had happened. She couldn't forge everything between them. Taylor quickly pulled out of his grasp.

"Hey! Is there a problem here?" A voice broke her train of thought.

Taylor and Josh looked in the direction of the gruff sounding voice and saw the boy who had befriended her on Facebook coming toward her. She wondered who he was. Where had she seen him before? He obviously knew her unless he loved the thrill of adding people he didn't know to his friends list. Then it hit her. She remembered seeing him in homeroom. And she remembered how he was sitting on the hood of his black Mustang the other day after cheerleading practice finished. She didn't forget cars and she especially didn't forget guys who oozed sexiness while wearing a black leather jacket. Bad boys had a way with her. They could mess with her emotions, making her go weak at the knees.

"You okay?" He asked her with a serious look in his eyes, distinctly turning to Taylor.

"She's fine." Josh raised his hands in the air. "Now if you don't mind, we were having a private conversation that does not involve you."

Connor turned to Josh. He hated when people ordered him around and he was just expected to do as they say. He took no orders from anyone and he wasn't about to take an order from Josh so that he could get his owm way. Once again, Josh thought he could rise to the top of the social hierarchy with any girl he desired like they were his toy to play with but this time, Conner was going to put his foot down, especially when the said object of his desire was the one girl Conner could not get off his mind. He could not be dewindled so easily.

"I'm not going anywhere until I know that you're not harrassing Taylor and she's okay." Conner said through grinded teeth.

Taylor was surprised. He knew her name; the rugged, mysteriously looking guy actually knew her by name, yet she didn't really know him even though she now grew more and more tempted to know everything about him.

She didn't think it could be too hard to find out who he was. She'd only have to go and talk to Tia. They were obviously friends since she saw Tia sitting with him at lunch and Taylor knew that Tia never sat with anyone she didn't like.

He had come to her rescue so she didn't have to deal with Josh; she wanted to discover more about her own personal knight in shining armour. She found it all kind of exhilarating that she had two guys' vying for her in an absurd way like they were both defending her honour, even though she didn't need anyone looking out for her. It also made out that she wasn't capable of looking after herself which she did not like. She was her own person; an independently, strong willed young woman who didn't need a guy at her every beckoned need to be there to protect her from the dangers of the world.

"She is fine," Josh demanded.

"Thanks but I would rather hear her say it than you," Conner remarked, using his back hand to push Josh back against the cider coloured wall.

Okay, this was getting ridiculous now. Hello? She was standing right there. She could talk for herself.

"I am fine, but thanks for asking," she smiled politely. Conner turned around to face her with a protective look on his face. She saw Annie standing down the corridor to the side of a locker. "I've got to go, bye."

She walked away toward the doors, leaving a jaded Josh and Conner following her every move.

"Now, look what you've done?" a disgraced Josh muttered.

"I got her away from you. That's what I did."

"Whatever. You don't know anything about me or Taylor. She won't stay away from me forever. You'll see. You don't stand a chance with her."

"And you do?" Conner asked him with sarcasm.

"More than you know," Josh said finally before he turned, pushing past Conner to get the hell away from him. And as he walked down the hall, he shouted one more comment aimed at Conner without a second a glance back. "Stay away from her."

Conner merely gave a slight smirk, whispering, "I don't think so."

* * *

Will Simmons made his way out to the parking lot after practice. He had showered and rushed out before anyone else. All he wanted to do was go home and kick back in front of some bad reruns.

Melissa was across the parking lot, leaning against his car with her bags on the ground at her perfect white sneaker-clad feet.

There was a time when he used to feel excitment to see her waiting for him. Now, he just felt trapped.

As Will approached, she wrapped both arms around his neck.

"You're here," she said into his chest with a soft sigh.

"Yeah," he replied. He opened his door and threw his bag onto the back seat. Melissa was watching his every move – she wanted to talk to him – he could feel it.

"I can't believe what Tia did," Melissa crossed her arms on her chest. "I didn't do any of the things she said I did."

"Yes you did Liss," Will said. "I heard you and Cherie discussing the plan."

Melissa stood against the car, wide eyed. "So what, you're spying on me now?"

Will turned to go. "Liss don't lie and pretend you're so perfect when we all know you're not as perfect as you'd like to be."

Melissa lifted her head into her hands like she'd cry.

"Don't cry but tell me, why did you do it?"

"Everyone hates me. Even Taylor hates me," Melissa sobbed.

"I'm sure that isn't true," Will responded, defending Taylor. "She doesn't hate you, she just doesn't like when you overstep your mark. You're cousins; she'd never hate her family. It doesn't sound like Taylor."

"You didn't hear her yesterday Will. She was bagging our relationship like Jessica was the innocent party in this ordeal and you were to blame for this whole mess," she cried into his shirt. "She hates me. She thinks she's so much better than I am. Everyone loves Taylor. She's the good girl who can never do no wrong. The perfect daughter. And now you're even siding with Taylor."

Okay, so Taylor had it on the mark. He liked Taylor, he did but she was right. He was to blame for this mess and Tia was right – it did need to end.

"And now Tia will tell Coach Laufeld and I'll be kicked off the squad. It is all Jessica's fault. I wish we never even met the girl. She's ruining my life." Melissa moaned.

"Tia won't tell Liss," Will soothed. He had known her for a long time and knew that she was true to her word.

Melissa looked up to him and in the rear view mirror of Will's car; she saw Taylor and Annie walking to Annie's car.

"I'm just going to go see Taylor. Will you wait for me?" her eyes pleading innocently.

"Sure."

Melissa hurried to Taylor and caught the tail end of their conversation

"Oh my god, so lemme' get this straight. You haven't even been back a week there are already boys fighting four attention. You are so lucky. I wish I was you – I have no boyfriend or admirer," Annie said smiling.

This news was interesting to Melissa. She wondered who the other guy Annie was speaking about, she had a distinct feeling that the other would be Josh and hopefully it'd help her get back on Taylor's good side if she got back together with Josh.

"Hey Tay," Melissa smiled, with both Taylor and Annie turning around in Melissa's direction.

"Hi Melissa," Taylor replied.

"I'll see you at the car," Annie told Taylor, as if she wanted to get away from Melissa as quick as she could.

"So, what do you want Melissa? Let me guess, you're going to give me a lecture because I didn't stand up for you earlier?"

"No Taylor," Melissa said. "I mean, yeah it did hurt me at first when you showed up to defend Tia and Jessica but I can't stay mad at you. We'll always be cousins so I'll live with who you befriend. Actually, I was thinking that we should have a double date – you and Josh and Will and I."

Taylor suddenly felt uneasy. Since when did Melissa even think that she and Josh were back together or that she had remote feelings to do so? Yes, she was technically considering the idea but she wasn't sure if she would give Josh another chance. As of this moment, it was more of a technicality where she only responded for the sake of getting away from Josh as quick as possible.

"Uh…I don't know Melissa," Taylor replied. "Josh and I are no longer a couple."

"Oh but you'll get back together. Anyone can see that you're totally made for one another," Melissa exclaimed. "God knows, why you broke up in the first place. Neither you nor Josh have reclusive told me the reason."

"It's complicated Melissa," she refused to let her cousin know the truth behind the break up. She didn't need to know every little detail of her life. "And I'm not sure if we're going to get back together. I just can't do a double date right now…"

Taylor had trouble accepting any interaction between Melissa and Will. She couldn't stand Melissa's constant need to show up anyone who seemingly showed interest in Will. The girl was always visibly jealous and had to remain upfront with what was rightfully hers – in her case – it was Will.

Melissa gave Taylor a longing look of despair – refusing to take no for an answer.

"Will you at least think about it? Please?"

"Fine," Taylor sighed heavily. "I'll think about it but don't get your hopes up – you may not get your chance at our renewed happiness and a double date."

"Great," Melissa exclaimed, all giddy with excitement. "So, I'll talk to you later – Will is waiting to drive me home."

The two girls said goodbye and headed in their separate directions. Taylor was glad to be heading home – she had had one too many meetings and it was only her second day back at school. Yet she only wondered what the rest of semester would bring to her socially outstanding social life.


	8. Wild Hope

_Chapter Eight_

Later that evening Connor holed himself in his bedroom as he procrastinated over an English paper, contemplating what to write as he twirled the pen around in his hand. His mind was active, it just wasn't on the topic he should have been focusing on. An image of Taylor was doing the rounds tonight.

His iMac computer lay open in front of him as he pondered over his paper and endlessly searched through random sites as he looked for anything else that would take his mind off a blonde haired beauty that had populated his sanity.

His eyes held focus on the Google logo before he unnecessarily wrote California into the web browser. Scrolling his way down the page, he stopped at a "Californian Teenager Web cast" link and decided to click onto it and see what was so fascinating about this apparent site.

On the webpage, Connor was surprised to find that for a typical Californian teenager, the background didn't feature cute little hearts and flowers. The hearts and flowers has been replaced by a plain black blackground with pictures of punk rock bands. This girl obviously wanted to give a different vibe to people who thought they knew her.

A flashing dull red "online" sign caught his attention. It seemed that this girl was online now – and directing her own video web cast. He searched for a link so that he could watch the web cast about her-whoever she is. Connor had a hard time coming to grips with the hilarious outcome that a teenager would actually allow the world see her life via a web cam. Sure enough, he found a link and doubtfully he clicked upon it only for it to come as a surprise when the web cast pictured a familiar girl he knew from school.

There she was. And he couldn't believe it was Taylor. Conner rubbed his eyes. This couldn't be real. It had to be a dream. He knew it was superficial to judge a person by their appearance but he couldn't help it. Taylor just didn't look the type to demean her life via a web cam.

Beneath her typical southern California cheerleader exterior – long blonde hair, perfected finger nails, beautiful blue eyes that she portrayed so well – there was an entirely different portrayal of a Californian cheerleader. He didn't think that Taylor would be one who'd be interested in the dark edgy bands – to be honest, he didn't know of anyone whom liked to listen to the same kind of music that he liked. Not even his friends were keen fans of his kind of music.

Conner studied the computer screen in front of him with intensity. A window opened and Connor remained glued to the screen, as he saw a vision of Taylor sitting cross legged on her bed.

"Uh…hi, my name is Taylor and if this is or isn't like your first time visiting my web cast then you'll probably be wondering where I've been this past summer and why I've been offline and suddenly bought this thing back to life," Taylor exhaled and took a deep breath. She was determined to speak out her issues.

For all she's known, she has only ever hidden her feelings deep within her. She's never been good with expressing her self. But she felt that she ought to do it, she needed to do it for the sake of her sanity. And what better way than to bring her web cam back to life and recall her trauma to her world of "A _Dysfunctional Cheerleader_" as the page was titled.

Through the screen, Connor could see the uneasiness in her eyes like it was taking an awful lot of effort for her to confess her deepest feelings that she had been holding out on for as long as she could recall the traumatic experience.

"So, I'm sixteen years old and I reside as a junior at Sweet Valley High," she went on. "After the earthquake, I ended up in hospital for most of the summer because my legs had been crushed by my family's entertainment unit. My nerves had been severely damaged when my legs were crushed. No one thought I would be able to walk again. So, I was hospitalised for most of the summer and unfortunately I was unable to attend my cousin's funeral," she paused. Connor could see the pain in her eyes as she talked about her cousin. She didn't like to talk about it but knew that she had to get it off her chest.

"Every doctor that saw my medical charts always said the same thing, that I would never walk again. I'd be wheelchair bound for the rest of my life. But I defied doctors and refused to give up knowing that if I did, my cousin wouldn't have wanted that, so I fought hard to regain the strength in my legs. I was allowed to go home and after weeks of strong willed, I proved to my self that I could do it and I walked – two weeks before I came back to school."

She stopped and aimlessly, her eyes searched her room.

"Anyway, I've gone back to school as of yesterday because if there is one thing that I have learnt this summer, it's that I need to continue on with life as best as I can no matter the struggles I shall face in time to come. So, I'll be here whenever you'd just like to forget your worries – you're more than welcome to e-mail or I.M me. I'm always here to talk to. Remember, this isn't the end. It's the beginning of our on going journeys."

And as Taylor concluded her final word, Connor couldn't help but yearn for Taylor. She had poured her heart and soul out to people whom she didn't know personally yet they knew of her more than anyone else. Connor found her inspiring that she was brave enough to let unknown people into her world. And all he knew was that – this wasn't the last of his visits to her web page. It was only the beginning.

* * *

Tuesday night, Tia and Elizabeth were enjoying a quiet meal together at the Box Tree

Café as they questioned the state of Elizabeth's current place she called home. Apparently living with Connor wasn't exactly a dream existence. Though, they had moved on from that topic of conversation and onto the subject of the guy Elizabeth was lusting over.

"So, forget about this _guy_. He isn't worth your time and attention anyway," Tia said, as she munched on an ice cube from her glass of soda. "No guy is if they are only going to cause you this much heartbreak. You deserve a guy who will treat like a goddess as you deserve to be treated."

"That's easier said than done," Elizabeth said. "I've tried but it's like I've gone ditzy in the head. I cannot get him out of my head."

"Let me ask you something," Tia said. "He's the total opposite of you right? A guy whom you'd normally wouldn't date?"

"Yes," Elizabeth nodded.

"He's a complete jerk but somehow you've decided that he is really sensitive and he just needs someone to open up to," Tia stated as she held her hair out of her face.

"It sounds so stupid," Elizabeth replied.

"It isn't stupid," Tia spoke honestly. "It is totally classic, the lure of the unavailable. Everyone goes through it. And I know exactly what you need to do in order to get over him."

"Like what?" she asked her perpetual friend with a serious look implanted on her face.

"Kiss him," Tia's brown eyes flashed mischievously.

Elizabeth's heart dropped along with her jaw while Tia smirked.

"Are you serious?" she asked finally. At the thought of kissing Connor, put her now raging pulse into overdrive. How could she do it? At what rate would it help her? She had trouble even thinking of kissing Connor. Okay, so she had dreamt of kissing him though only in her dreams – never actually in reality if it came to it.

"Okay," Tia explained as she munched on part of her meal. "What you're feeling right now isn't love, it's like an obsession. Would I be correct?"

"I guess…" Elizabeth answered sceptically.

"So, when you kiss the guy, you'll realise there are no real sparks."

"I don't know Tia–"

"Okay, listen. You can either grab the bull by the horns and kiss him now or you can wait around where you hook up with him at some Christmas party and you finally realise that he isn't all that. Do you really want to waste half your senior year wondering and pining over this guy?"

"I guess it all makes sense," Elizabeth mumbled. She hated when Tia was always right. She played with her half eaten meal. "I hate it when you're right."

"Uh-huh, and I'm sorry that I'm right but you know, kissing may be fun but only one kiss in a million tells you that you've found true love. And chances are, you'll kiss him and you'll realise that you don't really like him."

"So, how do I kiss the guy?"

Tia shrugged. "Hmm…just walk up and throw your arms around him."

Elizabeth churned. She was sure she didn't have the guts to go along with Tia's suggestion. And Conner may not even react in the same way as she only hoped he would.


	9. Let's get it Straight

_Chapter Nine_

Taylor stretched her legs out and sighed. Her homeroom class was almost empty and forlorn—exactly the way she liked it; although she knew it wouldn't last long considering the bell that signalled the beginning of homeroom would sound any minute.

With her iPod ear buds in her ears, Taylor sat down at a seat in homeroom and got lost into the pulsating beat of the music. The music was a relief. Her mind instantly wrapped itself into the lyrics.

"Hey there," a deep, raspy voice called from behind as she felt a gentle yet firm tap on her shoulder. She spun around in her seat and came to face the guy whom she never expected to see talking to her even if he was in the same class as she was in.

"Oh hey," Taylor stammered with a smile. "I…uh…how are you?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. How are you?" he asked.

"I'm cool," Taylor paused for a moment. Did she just say cool? What was she doing? "So, um…thanks for yesterday and everyting but my honour didn't actually need defending and if it did, I could have handled it myself. I am able to throw a mean punch when necessary."

"Yeah, I know. I think I worked that out about you already but I also know Josh well enough to know he can be an ass sometimes. I thought you could do with a little assistance."

"Oh, really? Well, that was awfully sweet of you." Taylor stifled a laugh with her hand. "And yeah, you don't have to tell me twice-about him being an ass. He's my _ex_-boyfriend."

"I didn't know you two dated."

Taylor shrugged. "Yeah, well it's not like I'm about to go and announce it to the world—hey, people! I just thought you'd all like to know that Josh and I used to go out—but we did go out though that is now ancient history and I would kind of like to leave it that way, if you don't mind.

Taylor thought she heard a slight chuckle emerge from this incredibly decent looking guy or so she thought anyway.

"So, you saved me yesterday and I don't even know your name."

"It's Conner," he said. "And there's no need to pay me back—yesterday was nothing but I guess if you think I deserve something in return then you could tell me why you choose to show your life via a webcam to the rest of the world on the internet."

Taylor blushed. He knew she had a web site and more importantly, he had watched her on her webcam. She didn't know why she was feeling embarrassed then again she guessed she never thought she'd come face to face with someone who actually took time out of their own lives to listen to her own personal dilemmas. Sure, her friends' knew of her site though they also knew Taylor well enough to have no care in the world to listen to Taylor's dysfunctional web casts either.

"So, I guess you've seen my web cast," she said incoherently.

"Yeah—I stumbled upon it last night for the first time. I don't go searching the net for insignificant links or anything but I was bored. I admire your courage for speaking out but don't you think it's a littler dangerous and risky for stalkers? You're an easy target for predators because you are giving them access to your life."

"So you're a stalker now? I am so glad you told me. Now I can warn others about you." Taylor folded her arms with a smile. "Seriously, I guess it's a little dangerous but my parents have also taken precautions to keep my online experience safe and I never let slip my whole name or where I live."

A few minutes later, their teacher entered the room along with the rest of the students, interrupting the small chit chat of students gathered in the room and ending Taylor's conversation with Conner.

Ten minutes after, homeroom had ended and Taylor collected her stuff, heading out of the room with Connor closely behind her.

"Bye. I guess I'll see you tomorrow in homeroom," Taylor said with a smile.

"Yeah, I'll catch you around school," Conner added with a smirk. The smirk that had made every girl he had ever been with go weak at the knees, though he also noticed that she didn't seem to be reeling from the effects his smirk had on his other list of conquests.

Watching Taylor walk in the opposite direction he was going, he knew he'd be seeing her many more times around school. She wasn't like half the girls living in Sweet Valley. Sure, she was the prime example of what a Californian teenager stereotyped to be like with her long blonde hair, crystal clear blue eyes, visibly tanned skin and a perfect complexion but still she wasn't like half the girls he had ever been around.

Every other girl he had hooked up with casually seemed fake compared to Taylor. They threw themselves at him, like they were god's gifts to mankind. And he had to see her again—because he was hooked.

Stopping in her path around the corner was an uptight auburn haired beauty, unmoved by the scene her own eyes witnessed, and now she was indomitable to set every thing straight for the sake of someone close to her.

* * *

Third period had ended, meaning lunch was now on the horizon. Melissa stood at her locker with Cherie, Gina and Lila as she emptied the books she wouldn't need into her locker before they headed to the cafeteria for lunch as a group.

Melissa looked around her locker door and saw both Cherie and Lila involved in a silent discussion. Melissa eyed them both with power. She hated it when her friends huddled around each other, only to speak surreptitiously to the other person that wasn't her. It was as if they were talking about her and she hated to think her friends talked about her.

"What are we talking about?" she asked inquisitively.

"Lila has a crush on Josh Radinski," Cherie replied to her question. Melissa's eyes glistened. She knew Cherie could never keep her mouth shut and if she did, Melissa would only end up prying it out of her later anyway.

Lila shot Cherie a scathing look like she shouldn't have mentioned it Melissa while Cherie shrugged, though Melissa was glad she did tell her. She couldn't have Lila going out with Josh. It wasn't going to work out—that much she knew. She liked Lila—she really did but if Melissa had her way, she was going to get Taylor and Josh back together. They were meant to be together.

Shutting her locker door, Melissa turned to her friends. "And that's all it will ever be because Josh is Taylor's ex boyfriend."

"And the key word there is _ex_. I don't see what that has to do with me," Lila put in. "They broke up which means he is available. He isn't attached anymore.

"Their whole break up is a misunderstanding that should never have happened," Melissa began, observing Conner whom she caught hading down the hallway. "So I'm led to believe that they'll get back together. Besides, his Facebook status hasn't changed. According to his profile, he is still in a relationship with Taylor. Anyway, I'll meet up with you guys in a minute. There's something I need to do first."

Melissa went after Conner. "Hey Conner, can we chat for a second?"

Conner turned around, astounded that Melissa had artlessly come to talk to him.

"Uh, sure Melissa, what's up?"

"So, I saw you talking to Taylor."

"Yeah," Conner said, unsure as to where this was coming from. He had only ever talked to Melissa when it was really needed. According to Melissa, they were each to their own criteria at school. "She's in my homeroom."

"Uh-huh, and you're a ruggedly handsome guy who I know has no trouble getting the girls so you could get any girl you want." Melissa wnet out of the ordinary and touched his biceps to feel his muscles. She had never done that before.

That was correct, he thought. Too bad, the girl he wanted was Taylor. But where was Melissa going with this?

"What do you want Melissa?" Conner got straight to the point. Why was she talking to him?

"I want you to stay away from Taylor. You see, she's going to get back together with Josh and for that to happen, she doesn't need you charming your way into her life. She's already been through a sufficient amount of pain to have you destroy her happiness," Melissa remarked. And before Conner could retaliate with a response back, she spoke again. "I'm done talking now."

And with that she stalked off to catch up with her friends. It wasn't that she despised Conner. She just liked to look out for her cousin. It was just the price she had to pay so she'd protecting Taylor. There wasn't any harm in that was there?


	10. The Optimistic One

_Chapter Ten_

Inside the cafeteria, the room was raucous and teeming but Elizabeth spotted Conner slouched at a table with Tia, Andy and the rest of his friends. It was as if an alert had gone off on her radar screen.

Of course, if he dissed her now in front of everyone that might throw her kiss plan off for the rest of the day. Plus she knew Maria would never go over there.

Tia stood up and waved to her, inviting them both to sit with her. Elizabeth waved back with a smile.

"We can sit with them if you want to," Maria said.

"No, it's OK," Elizabeth said without delay. "We can find another table to sit at."

She knew Maria might be uncomfortable hanging around with Conner and she didn't blame her.

Maria glanced at Conner and then squared her shoulders. "No, there's no reason to let him keep us from sitting with your friends right? Besides, I wouldn't mind hanging out with Tia and Andy a little more…since you like them so much."

Elizabeth smiled. "Good."

"And maybe it's time to show Conner that I'm over him once and for all," Maria said.

_Right and he has most likely moved on from you anyway_, Elizabeth thought. _Hopefully onto me..._

Elizabeth followed Maria through the maze of tables. Things were looking up. She hoped.

If Maria considered herself over Conner, maybe she wouldn't freak if she knew about Elizabeth's feelings. Maybe she could even talk to Maria about it.

_Right_, Elizabeth thought. _And maybe you'll outgrow your unrealistic, Little Miss Sunshine optimism_.

Conner's friend Evan Plummer was sitting with Andy on one side of the table across from Tia and Conner. Maria sat down in the empty seat next to Andy while Elizabeth saw Conner glance to Maria and then looked down at his food in front of him.

Elizabeth piously groaned as she approached. She could also walk around the table to sit next to Tia or she could sit next to Conner, in the nearest vacant chair—the one that had Conner's bag on it.

Conner looked up and saw her, pulling his backpack to the floor.

"Thanks," she said, trying not to smile too optimistically. It wasn't exactly a carved provocation but he wouldn't have done it if he didn't want her to sit there.

"We were just talking about how Tia whipped Melissa's butt," Evan said who seemed to be in a garrulous mood. He grabbed Tia's hand and raised her arm up in the air. "Winner and still champion!"

Tia giggled and pulled her arm free. "You're next if you don't stop making a big deal out of the whole thing. It was nothing. She had it coming."

Evan clutched his chest, pulling at his tie-dyed t-shirt. "I'm real scared!"

"You should be," Conner said with a small smile. "Friday night," he snapped his fingers. "Guess who's opening for Silver Chair at the coliseum."

"Cosmic Thrush," Andy answered.

Conner shook his head. "They cancelled. The lead singer checked into rehab."

"Again?" Tia asked. "Hasn't he already been detoxed of everything there is?"

"Making millions of dollars and having beautiful women chase you all over the country is highly stressful Tia," Andy said sardonically as he rubbed an apple against his sleeve. "Conner will explain it to you one day when he gets there."

"Yeah, right," Conner said, grinning.

Elizabeth felt herself go red. She so loved his smile.

"Anyway," Conner continued, "Parallax is taking their place for the rest of the tour."

"You're kidding!" Tia said, dropping her chocolate chip cookie on her tray. "Gavin must be so psyched."

"That's too cool, man," Evan said. He tossed his head back to get his long, black bangs out of his eyes.

"What's Parallax?" Elizabeth asked.

"The lead guitarist is Conner's music teacher," Tia clarified.

"Wow," Elizabeth said. "Are you going to the concert Conner?"

He turned to her and smiled. Her heart began to beat loudly.

"We all are," he said. "Free tickets and backstage passes too."

Elizabeth's mind went into overdrive. She glanced at Maria who shot her a startling stare as if pleading for advice. Elizabeth shrugged. "Count me in," she said."

"Me too. It sounds like fun," Maria said.

Suddenly Elizabeth realised that there was no way she could try to kiss Conner with Maria around.

Elizabeth ran her fingers through her hair, remembering she was rostered on to work the night shift on Friday. Maybe she should skip out the concert and go to work instead. After all, she wasn't going to be able to have her moment alone with Conner so she could kiss him. Tia's plan was ridiculous and Maria so obviously wanted him back.

"Actually…I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it…I've got to work at HOJ.

"You should come," Tia insisted with a smile. "It'll be worth skipping out on a shift."

Tia turned to Conner. "I'm inviting Taylor too. She could do with some fun in her life plus she's a music freak. She absolutely adores live bands."

Tia was suddenly shortened by Conner opened his mouth as if to object but Tia caught him off guard and pouted, showing puppy dog eyes that she meant business. "She's coming. She'd never speak to me again if she knew I didn't ask her to a concert."

Conner bit into an apple with a moan. He didn't dare deviate with Tia. He wouldn't come out winning the discussion anyway. No one did when it came to arguing with Tia. Somehow Tia always managed to put her point across in a way that was simply the best and there was no reasoning with the girl who stood at 5''4. For what she lacked in size, she made up with her gift of persuasion.

"Fine, she can come," he granted before turning his interest to Elizabeth. "You should come."

"OK," Elizabeth replied with a small smile. She glanced at Tia's eager face. "I'm there." So, maybe she wouldn't get her chance to kiss Conner but an evening with Conner was better than nothing.

* * *

Wednesday afternoon, school had finished for the day and Taylor was busy standing at her locker as she piled text books into her bag that she needed in order to do her homework. Slamming her locker door shut, she whipped her bag over her shoulder and began walking down the hallway towards Annie's own locker so she could get a lift home with her. Taylor had her learner's permit—she had had them for a little over four months now, getting them a few days before the earthquake happened—but neither her mother nor father had been inclined to take her out for a drive.

They were still wary of Taylor's lack of ability of muscle movement in her legs despite her doctor's encouragement and her own enthusiasm to drive. She knew her parents were just cautious to protect their daughter but sometimes life was just inequitable.

Rounding the corner, she fixed sight of Conner walking her way in the opposite direction to where she was going and she smiled. She had been meaning to find him and thank him for allowing her to go to the concert too. Tia had text her during fifth period and so now she was psyched to go out and have fun with her friends. She hadn't been out with friends since before the earthquake happened and so she anticipated the moment when she was actually cornered with plans to go out. Only, she hadn't anticipated fun involving the socially undermined yet gorgeous boy named Conner whom she only knew of his first name.

"Hey!" She said when she neared closer to him. His intense green eyes seemed to be focused on something a thousand miles away and when he did look to her; he gave more of a startled expression.

"Hey!" He grumbled back without so much of a smile.

Taylor pulled a strand of hair behind her ear and stalled for a moment before broke the silence. "Tia told me about the concert. Thanks for inviting me."

"Yeah, well, I didn't have a choice," he said, making small talk.

Taylor felt like he didn't want to be there talking to her, like he was going out of his way. Had she done something wrong? Last time she checked, they left on good terms so she couldn't understand the reason behind his strangeness then again, she did remember Tia telling her of his brooding ways the other day when she came by to round up her younger brothers from Taylor's own younger brothers who were always getting up to waywardness together.

"So, Tia got to you did she?"

"Something like that," Conner garbled with lack of fervour which gave Taylor more reason to believe that something was definitely up with the guy. And she couldn't let it pass her by. She needed to know what his deal was. She needed to know if she was the problem. After all, she somewhat felt an attraction to him and even though she had already been through enough drama to last her a life time or at least until the end of the school year, she just couldn't help herself. It was an illness she had. She liked to let people inside their heads so she could help them.

"Well, bye," he added strongly, shoving his hand into the pocket of his loose-fitting jeans. He took a few steps forward ahead of Taylor but Taylor stopped him gradually.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him. He seemed more distant than he had been earlier.

"I don't know," Conner sneered hastily. "Maybe you should talk to your cousin. She seems to know an awful lot about your life."

Taylor was officially confused. What did Melissa have to do with any of his problems?

"I don't get it…" Taylor began, studying his face for some kind of expression but with no luck, she came out second guessing him. Either, he showed no emotion or he hid it extremely well. "What's Melissa got to do with your bad mood?"

"Look, Taylor, you seem nice enough but save the self help crap for someone else, like your _boyfriend_. I don't want to hear it," his eyes flashed and he continued down the hall leaving an open mouthed Taylor speechless from hearing his last comment. Did she really hear those words come out of his mouth? Did he use the word boyfriend? She figured she had made herself clear enough when she had said she used to date Josh.

There was no way she was going to give in so easily to Josh and take him back after the heartbreak she had caused her and she knew her dad would have something to say if she came home and told him she was going out with Josh again—not that she confessed to her dad about the boys she liked. Sure, she was close to her parents and she rarely hid secrets from them but she also knew that there were some things that were meant to be hidden from her father so he wouldn't feel the need to protect her every chance he got.

Snapping out of her thoughts that began to puzzle her, she suddenly realised there was only person that came to mind who could have possibly filled Conner in on her marital status. She should have known Melissa would pull her chains to get her own way—whether she had the right to interfere or not. Melissa didn't care whether she was making the wrong act of gesture. In her eyes, she made out to have everything the way she intended it to be.

Since hearing of her cousin's wayward ways towards Jessica, she hadn't been looking forward to playing favourites with her friends whom she cherished or Melissa who was her cousin and therefore played an initial part of her family. She never wanted to go against family but often Melissa would need to pay the price for her actions and Taylor knew better than anyone how rivalling Melissa would soon pay its price.

Only Melissa didn't know that Taylor too shared the genetic mechanism for getting even, she merely preferred to act in a way that went beyond her maturity. But for the sake of her own sanity and control on life, Taylor knew she needed to lay the law down with her cousin—before she saw no control of her life.


	11. Not Worth The Time

_Chapter Eleven_

Later that night, Taylor was sitting cross legged on floor of her bedroom leaning against her four pillar bed as she scrolled through the music on her iPod. As much as she hated to admit to anyone other than herself, she was a music freak as Tia nicknamed her who was addicted to the likes of edgy and alternative music from artists hitting the airwaves now and years ago when she was only a child.

She didn't dare to count the rows of CD's she owned that lived in the inexpressive shelves of her bedroom. Chances were, she'd lose tally and never get to the finish. With her crimson laptop sitting in front of her, music resounded from the speakers, her web page staring back at her as she lost herself in the sensation of her music. Neither her friends nor her family could ever understand how she could lose herself to music which had such an edgy tempo.

But to Taylor, when she listened to each and every song, it was like the lyrics called out to her. A story was being told—her story. And the truth is told, right now, her love for music was the only thing keeping her sane from the never ending text messages she had been receiving on her cell phone from Josh, pleading with her to give him another chance and insisting he had changed with the wake up call that he never wanted to lose her a second time.

Glancing towards the doorway of her bedroom, she saw Melissa standing there with her hands on her hips, begging Taylor to turn the volume down on her computer.

"Thanks, I can finally hear myself think again," Melissa grimaced after Taylor turned down her music.

_There's a first_, Taylor found herself saying in her mind because it was never a surprise to know that Melissa by no means stopped to think things through before she said or did something.

"What are you doing here Melissa?" Taylor asked, without glancing at Melissa. Instead, she finished adding songs to her iPod.

Melissa examined her flawlessly manicured finger nails. "Cuz, did you forget? It's our monthly family dinner together. Please don't tell me you forgot."

Taylor shook her head. She could only stand so much of Melissa, given that it came in small doses but unfortunately for Taylor, she had to see her at school and at home. Last year, she was able to walk the halls of the school, knowing that she wouldn't see Melissa.

Sure, she loved her cousin but it was the way she liked it and Taylor realised she'd have her wish next year when Melissa would set off to college and Taylor was definitely anticipating the day she shipped off to college because it meant she'd be miles away and unable to hinder in her personal life.

"Can it, Liss," Taylor said with a puckered brow. "Are you going to restrict me to the music I should be listening to like you've already tried to do with my girlfriends and boy friends?"

Melissa felt the hair at the back of her neck stand up. She had no idea what she was on about. She was bemused. "What are you talking about? I'm here for dinner."

"Don't play games with me, Liss. Keep in mind, we're family. You could show me the satisfaction by being up front with me considering we're cousins. I know what you did."

"OK, Tay, you have officially lost me." Melissa ran her fingers through each individual strand of her golden-brown hair, seemingly unfazed and unaffected by Taylor's remark. "I don't kow what you are talking about."

Taylor rose from her position on the floor and stood up, along with her laptop which she placed on her desk and then proceeded to say. "Oh, you're lost? Then I will fill you in. I know you talked to Conner about getting back together with Josh. You told him to stay away from me. How could you do that? You have no right to interfere in my personal life."

"Did Conner actually say **I** told him?" Melissa put on the guiltless act, sitting down on the edge of the bed and grabbing hold of the bed post.

Taylor scoffed. She was so sick of Melissa playing it cool all the time. She had done it too many times for Taylor to know when she was acting. As a talented actress as Melissa was, Taylor was certain she'd be seeing Melissa as a future nominee for _'Outstanding Actress'_ at the Oscars.

"Only in so many words, I guessed it was you since you just love to meddle in my love life."

"I was only—"

Taylor cut her cousin off vividly. "You were only looking out for me? Yeah, I've heard it from you before Melissa. Actually, I fell for it the last ten times you've said it to me because I believed that you were really looking out for me."

"I—"

"But you know what? I'm not falling for it anymore. I'm done falling for it. Josh and I broke up. End of story."

"Without reason, might I add," Melissa pointed out with the up most sincere smiles as if persuading her to give in and tell her. "You still haven't told me why you broke up with him in the first place and lord knows, Josh isn't much help either."

"That's because our break up has nothing to do with you."

Taylor walked to the entryway to head down the stairs for dinner but turned back to Melissa who was now standing somewhat close behind her to make her way downstairs.

"And if you don't understand that, then I'll put it into terms that you will understand. Josh. And. I. Are. Over," Taylor began, talking much slower than usual to emphasise her point. "Get Over it, and stop trying to make important decisions to my life. You can not live vicariously through me. It is not going to work. You have your own life to live so let me live mine."

"OK, but are you almost sure you and Josh are over with? Did you give any thought to the double date I suggested?" Melissa questioned, unable to resist the urge to give up easily. Taylor forgot she didn't know the meaning of easy. It wasn't a word she was at all familiar within her brain terminology.

Taylor scrunched up her face with frustration. "At this point, I see no future with Josh nor do I see your double date happening. Can we just leave it at that now please?"

Melissa nodded her head and together the two girls headed downstairs to dinner.

"Fine then," Melissa exhaled with an audible sigh. "I'll try to get over it but don't jump into anything too fast with Conner. Believe me, he isn't worth your time."

Taylor knew that although she despised Melissa for making her presence known in her life, she also knew she couldn't stay mad at her as much as she'd like to. Their ties were bound together for life. She had spoken her mind.

It was done. The rest of up to Melissa—she just hoped Melissa wasn't right about Conner. It wouldn't be the first time she had exaggerated for her own personal gain but what did she mean he wasn't worth her time?

* * *

Thursday and Friday had gone by exceedingly fast and before Taylor knew it, she was standing at the coliseum surrounded by her friends as she swayed in time to the song the band were playing.

"They're incredible," Tia said. "Gavin is so good."

"Uh-huh," Taylor replied, taking no notice to what Tia had said. She only believed it had something to do with the band.

She leaned back against her silver hard framed chair and stared out to the centre of the stage where Conner's music teacher was rocking out, making logic of everything.

"Alright," Tia said, taking notice of Taylor's apparent lack of interest and watched her carefully. "What's up with you and Conner?"

"What do you mean?" Taylor asked unknowingly.

Tia nudged Taylor. "Don't play with me. You can't pretend that I haven't noticed that all night you've been eyeing him off."

"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about," Taylor stuck to her story with a sly smile that Tia could never fall for.

"Uh-huh, I think you're forgetting who you're talking to here," Tia studied her face. "It's almost as bad as Maria who's been flirting with Evan non stop."

Elizabeth watched a fake smile spread across Maria's face but her thoughts only increased when she realised her risen competitiveness for Conner's affection hadn't down sized despite Maria's sudden interest in his friend Evan.

_Taylor likes Conner? Oh God, how do I follow on with my plan now?_

"I don't know," Maria said bashfully. "He's kind of cute, I guess."

"You guess?" Tia asked, eager to know what Maria meant.

"Uh-huh, if Taylor repudiates to speak about her and…Conner then I'm refusing to talk to." She was acting scatter-brained with exhilaration.

_Oh, please Taylor. Tell us how you feel about Conner. We want to know. I want to know—I need __to know_, Elizabeth heard a little voice inside her head say. Was this the time to say she was crazy and then commit herself? Since when did a boy become an obsessive compulsion disorder that she couldn't get out of her head? It was crazy!

Evan, Conner and Andy strolled over to them.

"Hi, Evan," Maria grinned.

"Hi," Evan said, his tone of voice sounding baffled.

"We were just going to get something to eat before Silver Chair come on," Conner said.

"Do you guys want anything?" Evan asked.

"Evan, you know what you can get me?" Maria asked elatedly. "I would **love** a coke."

"Okay," Evan said, backing away vaguely.

Elizabeth felt her stomach turn. Maybe she should help Maria save face and tell her to stop. But she didn't dare have the guts to do it.

"Taylor, do you want anything?"

Taylor smiled. "No, thanks, I'm fine. I think I'm just going to go to the bathroom before the actual show starts. I'll get something later."

"You sure? I don't mind," Evan said. Conner looked off down the concourse and Taylor stared at the floor.

"I'm not hungry," Taylor said. "But thanks for asking."

He smiled at her. "Okay."

Conner started to walk off followed by Evan.

"You can get me a hot dog!" Tia called after them. Conner lifted his hand in response. Tia clasped her hands together. "Liz and I are like invisible around you two."

Taylor and Maria looked at one another and laughed. "Sorry," Taylor said, glad the tension was broken but when she side glanced to Elizabeth, she looked like she was wary of something.

Taylor rose from her seat and smoothed down her sequined mini dress that had slid up when she sat down. "I'm off to the bathroom. Anyone else need to come?"

Tia shook her head. "No, I'm good." She ran a hand through her coffee type hair as she leaned back against her chair.

"Yeah, I'm good," Maria said.

"What about you Liz?" Taylor asked her, gazing over at her.

Elizabeth's eyes set strongly onto her own gaze and blinked at a rapid pace. "I'm right," she said, before she turned her attention back to the stage.

* * *

Meanwhile, Conner and Evan were standing at the food and drink counter as they waited to be handed their meals they had ordered moments ago.

"So, Conner, my man," Evan said in a cavalier manner. "What's up with you and Taylor?"

Conner looked at his friend with wide eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Don't give me this 'what do you mean' crap dude. I've been your friend long enough to know how you work with girls. C'mon man, fill me in," Evan explained, eager to know his friends interest in Taylor.

"There's nothing to tell," Conner shrugged, dismissing his mate. "She's in my homeroom class. That's it."

"That's it?" Evan questioned, raising his eyebrows with concern. He was surprised that Conner didn't have any other interest in her. It wasn't like Conner to pay no interest to a hot blonde or a hot girl for that matter.

In the years that Evan had known him, he had always known Conner to never turn down temptation to hook up with girls who showed interest in him. He had never wasted any time with the other conquests he had been with in previous times. "C'mon, you cannot be serious. She's hot and I thought you of all people would see that."

"Of course I can see that she's hot and I would to be given a chance to be with her," Conner shook his head roughly. "But, she's…it's complicated.

"Complicated? How is it complicated? It should not be complicated. For you, it should be easy. There are no strings attached," Evan elucidated Conner's personal life.

"She dated Josh," Conner slapped his fist down on the counter.

"Josh as in Radinski?"

"Yeah, unless you know of another Josh who's a jerk and plays football," Conner entailed with a shrug of his shoulders like it was so hard to think of Josh Radinski.

"Taylor dated Josh? I didn't see that comin' but jeez, it really is as complicated as you say it is. No guy wants to hook up with one of Radinski's old flames."

Conner stared at him like with concern, prompting Evan to continue.

"Sure, Taylor's cute and everything but she went out with Josh. You could be considered an improvement against him."

Conner had nothing to add to Evan's statement. As much as Conner hated to commit to a meaningful relationship and be tied down to one girl, he also disliked to have to hear girls being talked about in a certain way like they had been disgraced because they've been connected to guys where they were known to have a reputation of being a player.

And anyone that knew or heard of Josh would know that he had come to gain such a status as to being somewhat of a womaniser. God knows, how he managed to stick to one girlfriend in the first place. It was something that seemed strange to summon an image of Josh with one woman only.

"It's not that," Conner's gaze shifted to the counter in front of him. He hadn't even thought about being second fiddle to one of Josh Radinski's old flames on his long list of conquests. "I'm sure Taylor isn't about to tell the world she dated Josh…but she's getting back with the loser."

"How'd you know that?" Evan asked, plopping himself down on the stool left vacant by a blonde haired guy who walked away with his order.  
"Melissa."

"Melissa told you? How'd she know? I've never even seen Taylor and Melissa talk."

"Go figure, but they're cousins."

Evan chuckled to hearing the news of Taylor and Melissa being related.

"Well, she's got to be related to somebody, I suppose," Evan retorted with a smug grin.

"Here, you go guys." The hot red-headed barmaid slid a tray of food and drinks across to Conner, winking in his direction.

Evan slapped his hand onto Conner's shoulder. "And who said you should believe every word to come out Melissa's big mouth," Evan said, slapping money onto the counter to pay for his share of the meal while showing a wink to the red haired cashier taking his money. "You know she'll say anything just to hear her own voice or get what she wants. But if on the rare occasion that Melissa is right, then you should be happy she warned about them in the first place. You shouldn't be waging a war with Josh over a girl anyway." Evan hinted.

Suddenly, everything Evan had said made complete sense to Conner. He need not worry anymore.


	12. Making Plans

_Chapter Twelve_

When Taylor was done in the bathroom, she decided to head to the food court so she could buy herself a drink before the show began. On the way back from purchasing her drink, she spotted Conner by himself at one of the souvenir stands.

Her heart started to race. He had hardly talked to her all night and she figured it had to do with card Melissa played on her not so behalf about Josh. She figured she'd go and say hi to him. He couldn't overlook her if they were alone.

She cut a straight line through the thinning crowd until she was standing next to Conner.

"Hey," she said so she was audible enough to be heard over the crowd of other people.

"Hi." He scarcely even looked at her.

"Where's Evan?"

Conner turned to her, his eyes hard. She'd thought it was an innocent inquiry. It had nothing to do with him.

"Inside," Conner answered, pocketing his change.

He grabbed his t-shirt and started making his way back to their section as Taylor rushed to catch up with him. She walked alongside him in stillness for a moment but the unspoken behaviour was not doing anything for her. She wanted to tell him she was not planning to get back with Josh. She had to tell him.

"Is that your keepsake?" she asked. Easing into a conversation was better than no talk at all. She had to start somewhere.

"No, it's actually for my sister."

_He's so sweet! Something we share in common-love for our siblings._

"Oh, right," Taylor smiled. "Well, she's a lucky sister."

Silence had suddenly engulfed them for a moment until Taylor decided to break the apprehension.

"So, uh, about what Melissa said...about Josh and me..."

He stopped suddenly and turned to Taylor with a sombre look in his eyes. "Yeah, listen, you don't need to explain anything to me. Who you date is your business, not-"

"Josh and I are not getting back together," Taylor blurted out in a rush of emotion then realising what she had done, she moved her hand to her mouth and let out a muffled giggle. "Sorry," she said slowly. "I just had to get it out because I do not plan to get back together with Josh."

"And Melissa?" Conner asked, probing for implication to her involvement.

Taylor sighed heavily and looked to the ground. "Melissa just loves to intervene in my life and I know she's only doing it because we're family. She wants what's best for me but usually what she thinks is best for me isn't actually what's best for me. I guess I need to learn to be more like Melissa or at least more wilful towards her."

Conner smirked mischievously. It was something that Taylor had come to recognise as one of Conner's traits.

"Just don't be exactly like Melissa. One Melissa is enough."

Taylor laughed. Sure, they were laughing at her cousin's expense but Taylor knew better than anyone Melissa was often seen as an ice queen or better yet-the devil. Although, Taylor also knew Melissa could show an angelic half to her, it was merely hard to come by and was habitually branded as a rare event.

"I'd hate to admit this considering I'm related to her but I promise you, I won't turn into another Melissa clone," Taylor smiled and let out a laugh.

"I'll take your word," Conner said with a sly smile. "Though, now that I know you're not getting back with Josh, I must say it would have been a bad move. And it's not just because I don't like the guy but let's just say he's not exactly 'boyfriend' material." _As opposed to me, who is? What am I thinking? I'm handing out advice on Josh because I'm just like him._

Taylor bit her lower lip. "Yeah, actually I know. It's the reason why I've got doubts about being his girlfriend again. I'm not going to go through everything all over again," Taylor let out a breath. She refused to go in to the details of her break up with Josh to a guy she possibly liked or could see a relationship of some sort with. It just wasn't her thing to talk ex boyfriends with her new boyfriend or the guy she liked.

"How are you enjoying the concert so far?" Conner added warmly, changing the subject.

"Great, actually, your music teacher is awesome. I can see why he's your teacher..."

Taylor and Conner chattered merrily as they made their way back to their section.

* * *

Making her way back from the bathroom, Elizabeth stopped abruptly in her tracks when she was caught off guard by something she could see in the corner of her eye, only to turn and observe a picture of two people she never thought she'd have to envision being together. And yet, here it was. Her stung expression made up for lost words she didn't have. Conner and Taylor were hanging out and talking together like they were really enjoying each other's company.

_Taylor likes Conner, Conner likes __Taylor__. Is this for real?_

Elizabeth liked Taylor. She really did but she had never really hung out with Taylor like Jessica did. After everything Taylor had been through during the summer, Elizabeth knew Taylor didn't need any more heartbreak and she hated to think it she were to embark on a fight with Taylor for a guy. Sure, she liked Conner but no guy was worth a fight with a friend. It wasn't her mode. Then again, maybe it was a big misunderstanding and Taylor and Conner were only friends. Either way, Liz knew she needed to follow through with her kiss plan to move on-whether Taylor was going to be stung by her bee or not.


	13. Change of Heart

_Chapter Thirteen_

Elizabeth closed her eyes and tried to unwind her headache away—something that she had reluctantly given herself as she thought about the possibility of Conner being into Taylor. It was a topic she couldn't stop thinking about and she didn't want to get up for an aspirin and risk bumping into Conner.

"At least he said good night," Elizabeth muttered to herself, pulling her fluffy white comforter up under her chin. "It must have taken a lot of effort to do that."

The phone rang, staggering her. She swiftly attended to it before it woke any one up.

"Hello?" Elizabeth whispered.

"Liz? It's Maria." Elizabeth looked askance at her bed side clock. Maria sounded ludicrously vibrant for 4 A.M. "You weren't asleep were you?"

"No. What's up?"

"What did you think of Conner tonight?" Maria asked with interest.

"I thought he was even more discourteous than usual," Elizabeth said openly. "Why?"

"Yeah, but did you notice how he and Taylor were hanging out together. Maybe I'm imagining things but he seemed to be checking her out and enjoying her company. What do you think? Do you think he likes her and that she likes him?"

_What do I think? Did I notice the affection Conner was showing Taylor as they both took in the music together? Duh, it's the reason for my headache. Of course I noticed them together. They were together almost all night._

"Maria…" Elizabeth had no idea what to say to her best friend whom she never kept anything from.

But she couldn't very well let Maria know that she had been watching them the entire time they had been hanging out together. She would come across as being obsessed, though clearly Maria had also been watching the other live show of the night. He had made no point of focusing on nothing but the stage and Taylor most of the night.

"So do you think he actually likes Taylor?" Maria asked. "Because I feel that we should warn her of Conner's intentions so she too doesn't fall for him and then get hurt. She has already been through so much."

_Oh god, I hope not_, Elizabeth thought.

Elizabeth sighed. "Yeah, I don't know Maria. We don't even know if Taylor likes Conner or if he likes Taylor. Maybe they're just friends…"

_Or maybe they're something else…and there goes my chance to kiss him because he has somebody else in mind to kiss._

"…Maybe we should just leave it for now," Elizabeth finished, sitting up in bed and rubbing her forehead. It wasn't something she wanted to consider. Maybe she wouldn't need to consider it.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Maria said softly. "I just can't help it. After everything Taylor's been through these few months, I don't want to see her hurt anymore than she has already been. Anyway, I'm sorry for calling so late. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Good night."

Elizabeth hung up the phone and let out a deep breath she didn't know she had as she lay back down in bed and pulled the comforter over her head. It seemed that her head had now become an even harder thump than before.

* * *

Walking into the Fowler's mansion, Jessica's soaring mood suddenly fell when she caught sight of Lila prancing around in her cheerleading uniform. It made Jessica want to heave.

She tried to creep past the living room without being seen by Lila or her parents but failed miserably.

"You're late!" Lila said with a frown.

Jessica stopped and turned to face her ex best friend. "I know. I was at work."

_Something you wouldn't know about, _she added in her mind.

"Yeah, well I wish I could wait for you,Jess," Lila said, her voice sounding nauseatingly saccharine. She picked up her bag and pom-poms. "But I can't. I've made plans with some of the other cheerleaders."

It didn't take a rocket scientist to guess who she was referring to.

"No, I'm fine," Jessica replied with the same phoney civility. "Anyway, I think I can make it to the game without you."

Without another word, Lila was out the door so Jessica continued on her way upstairs to her bedroom.

Upon reaching her room, she dumped her back pack on her bed and slumped down on her back so she was staring up at the washed-out ceiling.

After a moment of pondering over her catastrophic thoughts, Jessica got up and changed into her cheerleading uniform as she simplistically checked out her reflection in her full length mirrored closet door. Usually, seeing herself in her uniform brought out pride in herself and made her feel attractive like she could pull anything off. But, this time she didn't feel that same surge of energy she once felt.

"This sucks," she said. Today's football game was the first of the season and the first of her senior year. Big Mesa was SVH's archrival and so everyone at school had been talking about it all week. Jessica should've been too, but she wasn't.

All she could think about was being in front of everyone from school. What if they laughed at her? Or booed her? Or what if she had to do a stunt and messed it up out of uneasiness?

She could just imagine the taunts that would start flying if she were carried out on a stretcher. She knew she was merely imagining everything that could possibly happen but as she stared at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help it.

After everything she had been circumvented to at the start of the school year, it wasn't hard for her to imagine the worst to come when she would put herself on show, especially when she looked the same but inside, she was a stranger to herself. Her old buoyancy had been replaced by insecurity.

She closed her eyes and thought about the way she'd felt at HOJ that morning and the night before when she had covered for Elizabeth so she could go to the concert in Los Angeles. She felt like she could live comfortably in her own skin and she'd made a friend who didn't judge her based on recent events—not that her friend knew of her recent mistakes. He was good-looking, sweet, and witty and he thought she was beautiful and worth talking to.

Sure, she had had enough of boy dilemmas to last her entire senior year but she didn't care and so she hoped he would ask her out at some point.

Jessica opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror again. She was still the same. Nothing had altered. But there was a sparkle in her eyes that hadn't been there before. It was a start.

Picking up her bag, Jessica surfaced from her room and headed down the stairs. It was time to face the music.

* * *

Elizabeth stepped out of the shower and began drying herself when the phone rang. She paused to see if any one was going to pick it up but it rang again and again so she threw on her terry towelled robe and went to her room to grab the phone before the voicemail picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Liz, it's Andy."

"Hey," Elizabeth said, stretching the phone cord across the room to retrieve her towel as she began patting herself dry. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to find out if Conner gave you my message," Andy said.

Elizabeth paused. "What message?"

"Figures," Andy said with a laugh. "I'm having people over today to hang out by the pool. It's beautiful out, so no excuses. I called this morning and told Conner to tell you."

Elizabeth's heart twisted. Either Conner probably didn't want her there or his head was too busy thinking of Taylor.

"Yeah, he didn't tell me."

"Uh-huh, don't take it personally but I don't think he's ever written down a phone message in his life," Andy said. "Anyway, Conner's coming plus a bunch of the guys and Maria. So you should come."

"What about the game?" Elizabeth asked.

"I'm not exactly a football person," Andy said. "And Conner wouldn't be caught dead showing school spirit. Besides, Tia said she and Taylor would hook up with us after the game."

Elizabeth's brow creased. Taylor was going to be there? Maybe she should skip it so she wouldn't risk seeing another episode of The Conner and Taylor Show.

"I don't know," Elizabeth hesitated.

"Well I'll see you later if you decide to come," he said.

"Okay, thanks for calling back."

"No problem."

Elizabeth hung up the phone and sat on her bed. If Andy had called this morning then Conner would have known about the party earlier when she had seen him in the bathroom. Why could he have not told her then? Did he not want her to go?

Elizabeth shook it off as nonsense. Maybe she should just ditch the party and let Conner have his way. She was tired of wondering whether he liked her or not—getting her hopes up and then having her feeling disappointed like she had last night when she saw him with Taylor. The girl was practically dynamite when it came to boys. They would be fawning all over her.

Elizabeth stood up and started back to the bathroom. On the way, something caught her eye. It was a piece of paper taped to her open bedroom door.

She walked over and pulled down the note and read it.

_Liz,_

_Andy's having every one over to swim. 1 P.M _

_22 Akers Ave. _

_- C. _

Elizabeth found herself grinning. There was apparently a first for everything and Conner writing something down for her was definitely a first.

She tossed the note aside and hurried back to the bathroom. If she was going to a party, she needed to get ready fast.


	14. Flat On The Floor

_You ain't gonna get to me tonight  
I'll lay right here 'til it all blows through  
I ain't gonna raise my body  
'til there ain't no sign, 'til there ain't no sign, 'til there ain't no sign to you_

Carrie Underwood, "Flat On The Floor"

* * *

_Chapter Fourteen_

Cutting through the car park of the school, Jessica avoided making eye contact with anyone. She remembered the adrenaline she used to feel before a game. It was all so exciting. Too bad, now it seemed impossible to get those days back. So much had happened to go back in time. She couldn't erase everything that had happened since school started.

As she walked by the girls' locker room which the visiting football teams used during the games, the doors opened and the Big Mesa guys came running out, cheering.

She moved aside to avoid being knocked over.

"Jessica?"

She flinched at her name being called. One of the guys from school must have walked in behind her, ready to start mocking her.

Jessica whirled around, ready to take down any one who messed with her.

_Take your best shot. I'm ready._

One of the Big Mesa guys broke away from the pack and jogged towards her.

Jessica was shocked. Had the rumours spread to Big Mesa too?

When the guy reached her, he took off his helmet and mouth guard and smiled. She knew him.

"Jeremy?" Jessica blinked. "I can't believe you play football."

"Believe it," he looked down at his uniform and then over to her own uniform. "And you're a cheerleader for the opposition. I could be killed if I'm caught talking to you."

"And as a cheerleader for SVH, I must say, the Gladiators are gonna kick your ass," Jessica laughed with a grin presented on her face pompously. Jess found it amazing how in the blink of an eye, she could go from gloomy to frivolous.

Some movement was made behind Jeremy that Jessica saw. Melissa, Lila and most of the squad were filing the school. Lila spotted Jessica right away and nudged Cherie.

Jessica froze as she watched Cherie whisper something to Melissa.

Now everything didn't seem so wonderful. Her mood suddenly returned to her previous state.

She wanted to keep Jeremy away from her life but he was a high school guy—a football player—and very much part of her world. If Jessica knew anything about Melissa, it was that she was sure Jeremy would discover the truth about her.

"I have to go," she said.

Jeremy reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Wait—"

"I can't," she said, pulling away from him. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

She hit the gym door with force and disappeared. She knew Jeremy must think she was a freak but she didn't care. She didn't want to risk losing another friend to plaintiff rumours—especially when she was lacking friends these days.

* * *

Elizabeth pulled the Jeep to a stop along the side of the road of Andy's street and killed the engine. There were so many cars near and around Andy's house that she had to park half a block away.

Taking the keys out of the ignition, she stepped out of the car and checked out her reflection in the mirror. She looked great, so why was her heart fluttering?

_It's the bikini_, she told herself. She wasn't one to wear bikinis. Jessica, yes but Liz, she didn't nearly have enough guts to show off her body—especially in public. But she was doing the new-Elizabeth thing and so she needed to venture out of her comfort zone-be daring.

"Hey, Liz!"

Elizabeth looked over to find Evan approaching from across the street.

"Hi," she returned his greeting.

"Are you going in?" he asked, pushing his sunglasses up to hold back his unkempt black hair.

"Yeah," Elizabeth pulled her bag over her shoulder. "Where are you coming from?"

"Right there," he said, indicating a modest house with a perfectly manicured lawn.

"I'm constantly over at Andy's bugging him for pool time."

"You like to swim?"

"Actually I'm on the school swim team."

Elizabeth was thankful for the distraction as they walked towards the house. She saw Conner's Mustang parked at the end of the driveway and her heart skipped a beat.

Evan opened a wooden gate for Elizabeth and she stepped through, looking around the pool area.

She saw Andy standing by the grill but fortunately she didn't see Conner in sight. She wanted a few minutes of comfort before she spent her time aware of his every movement—and allowed herself the time to shun her confidence level enough to be seen in her bikini.

* * *

Coach Laufeld was standing beneath the bleachers with Tia, Annie Whitman, Taylor and Jade Wu. They were surrounded by pom-poms, mega phones, signs and streamers. Laufeld wore her standard poker face as Melissa took a deep breath and looked at Cherie.

"Don't worry," Cherie said. "In five minutes, it'll be over and you will be captain. This is a good day for all of us. Everyone will know who is in charge and who isn't."

"I know," Melissa said. Her palms were clammy. And it was about damn time people would start to take her seriously. The stands were crowded and the band was warming up.

"Hi, girls," Laufeld said as Melissa and her friends approached. "Is Jessica here yet?"

"We saw her downstairs talking to some guy," Gina replied with a smug grin. "Surprise, surprise," she muttered under her breath with a scowl.

"She's probably just gone to the bathroom or something," Tia said, shooting a contemptuous look to Gina. She didn't like that her friend was being talked about behind her back. It wasn't right and it was not nice.

Laufeld sighed and looked at her watch. "You girls are going to need to get out on the field with the banner soon."

"She'll be here," Taylor said. She had confidence in her friend that she would never be late to a game.

"I'm sure she will," the coach established. "But I have an announcement to make before you girls go out there."

Melissa's nerves went into overdrive. _Just get it over with_, she noted.

"I had a hard time with my decision," she said, clinching her hands together. "I've been watching all of you closely and you're all doing terrific with your cheers and dances but the captainship isn't about proficiency. I need someone who demonstrates leadership, school spirit and promotes unanimity. In the past couple of days, two people have stood out from the rest of you and for that reason I have appointed Tia Ramirez and Taylor Morris as your two co captains."

Melissa couldn't believe what she had just heard. Was Coach Laufeld for real? Or could it possibly be a horrible nightmare she had found herself dreaming. She wished she'd wake up and everything would be different. Cherie reached out and squeezed her hand—a sign to let her know that this was no dream but it was no use—all the feeling had been sucked out of her.

She watched as Annie and Jade congratulated both Tia and Taylor. Sure, she should be thrilled for Taylor. They were cousins and she never showed rivalry towards her and at least the captaincy thing was their family thing but Tia as co captain? It just didn't make any sense. Tia would have never been named captain at El Carro. She was cheerleader but never part of the pack that followed the squad.

Melissa was halted back into reality when Laufeld spoke up.

"Tia, Taylor, why don't you lead your squad out and set up."

"OK," Tia said. "What about Jessica?"

"I'll send her out."

Tia and Taylor picked up the paper banner the players would come through to mark their entrance onto the field and began making their way out to the sidelines.

Melissa rummaged around through her bag, looking for something to brighten up her spirits and peppiness, but with no luck. She knew nothing would kick her sullen mood she was showing.

"Are you okay?" Cherie asked, kneeling down beside her.

"I don't believe this," Melissa said, holding back the tears that she didn't want to show. She couldn't, she wouldn't let her emotions get the best of her. Her friends were not going to see her cry. Proudly holding back the tears, she stood up and walked out to the field with Cherie alongside her, showing her support.

"It's unbelievable," Cherie whispered with a sneer in her voice, perfecting her ruby hair as she walked onto the field. "How can Tia and Taylor be captain? There should only be one, not two."

"And it should be you," Gina interjected with a sly comment. "What do they even know about captaincy?"

Melissa shook off her friends' insincere comments. It was one thing to say all this about Tia being co captain but Taylor was still her cousin. She didn't like to have to hear her friends bitch about her family. It was an insult to her.

Melissa shrugged off her friends with a quick swipe of her hand. "I don't care whether Taylor is co captain. She is my cousin after all and I am happy for her."  
"Yeah, you're right so it's being kept in your family and still, they're co captains so Tia isn't the only one," Cherie said casually.

"You guys? We'd better get over there." Lila interrupted them. "The team is coming."

Melissa was glad to have the redundant babble had come to an arresting end about Taylor. The last thing she needed right now was to hear gibberish about who had been named captain.

Melissa looked up and saw the football team lining up behind the goal posts. Tia and Taylor were beaming as they each held one end of the banner. Then her eyes travelled down the row of players until she saw Will who was briskly bouncing up and down on his feet—something Melissa had been all too proverbial with. It was one of his distinctive traits she knew he did as a sign of nervousness.

Melissa heart squeezed painfully—signally nerves towards Will's first game and towards an uncertainty of feeling like she knew something was about to change. None of which, she was excited about.

* * *

"Ugh! I can't even stand to watch those girls throw themselves at himlike he's god's gift to women," Maria said with a disgusted tone to her voice. She sat down beside Elizabeth on a chaise lounge.

Elizabeth didn't have to ask who her friend was going on about. She knew the topic of discussion. Of course, was there ever a time when they weren't talking about Conner?

_Not to mention think about him…_

"I'm so glad Taylor is coming to this thing," Maria continued, lifting her black shades from her eyes for a moment. "She'll be able to see him for who he really is before she gets in too deep."

"Yeah me too," Elizabeth lied. She really didn't want her coming today.

Elizabeth looked across the pool at Conner. He was sitting with two girls she had seen around school and they were talking and laughing about something. She couldn't hear what they were talking about but the scene disturbed her.

He was hanging out with some random chicks when he hadn't said one word to her all day. After finding the note he had left her about the party, she was given the idea that he wanted her to come and so she had—in thinking that perhaps maybe she'd get the chance to hang out with him before Taylor arrived.

But no such luck, he had been steering clear of her all afternoon and it was driving her crazy. It was like he didn't want to talk to her and now, she wasn't quite sure when the right time would be to act out the scene in her mind that had been put on repeat since the idea was sprung to mind.

Elizabeth stood up just as one of the girls from the Oracle came over to them and plopped herself down on the free chaise lounge next to Maria as she began chatting about the art section of the paper.

Elizabeth didn't feel the need to discuss the school newspaper right now. She had other things to think about right now. She walked along the side of the pool in direction of the cooler so she could fetch herself another drink. Quickly glancing at Conner, she saw Conner check her out and figured that maybe the bikini was a good idea after all.

"Elizabeth!" Andy said with a huge grin planted on his face. "It's your lucky day." He threw his arm around her.

"Why?"

"We need another team member for pool volleyball. How'd you like to be on my team?"

"Uh…" Elizabeth hesitated. She looked to Conner who had now turned back to the blonde and red haired and then looked back to Andy. Maybe this was her chance to be in the pool and jump around in her hot bikini in the hopes that Conner would notice her. Then again, maybe jumping around in her bikini was bad idea. She had never really been one to take attention of her body too well. It was something she was usually conscious about when some guy took notice of her. Jessica was the one who adored that kind of thing—not her. "Yeah, I think I'm going to pass on the volleyball. It's not my thing."

Elizabeth pulled away from his grasp.

"C'mon Liz," Evan said, pulling his t-shirt over his head to reveal his toned and tanned muscular upper body. Elizabeth was sure Evan didn't have any trouble getting women's attention. "You can be on my team."

"No, it's really not my thing. I think I'm just going to sit this one out."

"Elizabeth, you can't just come to a pool party and not go in the pool. It's tradition." Andy looked at Evan and smirked. "She's going in," they said in unison.

"Guys, really—" Elizabeth stated, putting her hands up in surrender. She inched back as they inched forward.

Grabbing her wrists, they pulled her forward as she let out one last cry to protest.

Before she knew it, she had hit the water with a lumbering splatter. She frantically checked to make sure she wasn't missing any appropriate parts of her clothing. She surfaced and pushed some strays of hair behind her ear.

She looked up and found Maria, Andy, Evan and Conner standing by the ledge of the pool as she tugged down on her costume so that it covered all parts of her body. She heard a couple of guys laughing at her. Oh god, was she flashing her bits to everyone? She thought she had everything covered.

Maria spoke. "Liz! Your face!"

Elizabeth's heart flipped. "What?" She glanced at Conner who turned around in the opposite direction.

Eager to see what had made him turn around, Elizabeth followed his gaze and sure enough, she found Taylor and Tia making their way through the gate to the pool area, still dressed in their cheerleading outfits. They had obviously come straight to Andy's from the game.

"Guess who made captain…well one half of the captain!" Tia exclaimed excitedly, linking her arm with Taylor's.

"Yeah, she's a little too ex—Oh, my god, Liz, your face!" Taylor screeched, her eyes suddenly becoming fixated onto Elizabeth and her smeared make-up face due to the mascara she had obviously been wearing in which she had black streak lines tarnished down her cheekbones.

Elizabeth straddled to the side of the pool and pulled herself up out of the water using the metal ladder. "What about my face?"

"Wear much make-up?" She heard one of the boys in the crowd asked.

Taylor and Tia screwed up their noses at the boys in displeasure. All they could do was laugh. It was ridiculous. Taylor moved away from her friends' grip of her arm and made her way towards Elizabeth who was now standing with a towel wrapped firmly around her body.

"Mascara," Taylor whispered, "it's all over you."

Maria stepped in and intervened. "C'mon," she said. "Let's go to the bathroom." She strung her arm around her shoulders and steered her towards Andy's house.

"I'm sorry," Andy muttered to Elizabeth as she and Maria wandered past him. "Use the bathroom upstairs. My mom's stuff is in there."

"She looks like she's hung over," some guy said.

"She's really gonna need to clean her face," another added. "What a loser!"

Elizabeth found herself wrapping the towel around her more firmly than she had before, wanting to run from the backyard as fast as she could but she didn't want to risk tripping and looking like an idiot anymore than she already was. Although it seemed that she had at least one friend on her side when she heard Taylor say "Shut up!" to the guys in the crowd who were teasing her.

And as she turned around to show Taylor her gratitude, she saw Conner walk towards Taylor and immediately strike up a conversation with her.

Now she felt like running.


	15. Kiss On Me

_So, don't you worry who you're kissin on at midnight  
The way I see it I've got you and I both covered  
The world's to bed and you and I instead  
Will secretly enjoy our time  
So kiss on me tonight_

Tyler Hilton, "Kiss On Me"

* * *

_Chapter Fifteen_

Jeremy felt like a collaborator. His team had just gotten schooled by the SVH Gladiators. He had even fumbled once himself. And yet, now he was trolling the enemy's sidelines, looking for one of their cheerleaders.

Jeremy shook his head and smiled. It was hard to believe that Jessica wasa cheerleader. She didn't seem like the type. She wasn't exactly peppy the way all cheerleaders seemed to be—well she wasn't when he had been around her.

He tried to be unobtrusive as he walked along the track, putting on a wretched, introspective expression as if he were debating the loss. A couple of girls in red-and-white pleated skirts ran by and Jeremy's heart skipped a beat when he saw a bouncing blonde ponytail. Then he realised it wasn't Jessica and he sighed. Maybe Jessica was on her way to the victory party already.

Jeremy slowed his pace when he reached the SVH bench. The coaches were packing up and there were still a few players milling around. He didn't feel like getting his nose rubbed in so instead, he scanned the bleachers. The crowd was thinning out and he saw no sign of Jessica.

_Why did she run off like that before the game?_ Jeremy wondered.

He kept walking, kicking at crushed plastic cups on the ground. He knew he couldn't be the reason she had bolted like she did. She looked so happy when she had seen him and he hadn't been given enough time to say anything, so he couldn't have offended her.

Jeremy spotted Will among the guys who were helping to gather the equipment. "Hey!"

Will looked up and half smiled. "Hey, Aames! Who's the man now?"

"I guess you are," Jeremy said. "For now."

Will laughed and finished packing a headset into a case. "What are you still doing here?" he asked, picking up the bag and falling into step with Jeremy.

Jeremy shrugged. "I was just looking for someone. But I think she's avoiding me for some reason."

"Oh, girl troubles," Will said, looking straight ahead as he spoke. "Yeah, I've got a few of them myself."

"Sucks, huh?"

"Yeah," Will paused. He had a far off expression in his eyes, making Jeremy realise Will was talking about a serious relationship. That was something Jeremy never had to worry about. He had never had a serious relationship in his life so he couldn't offer advice, not that he would. He hardly knew Will well enough to share girl advice with him.

"Well, good luck man," Jeremy said. "I hope everything works out." He started to back away.

"Thanks, man," Will said. "I'll see ya."

Jeremy turned and started walking around the school as Will entered the gym. He suddenly felt the need to get out of there.

"Maybe, it's a good thing I didn't find Jessica," Jeremy muttered to himself. After all, he had already decided that he wasn't boyfriend material—with no cash and no time. And if Will was any indication of how a relationship could affect a guy, he didn't want to have anything to do with it. He had enough baggage already. He didn't need someone else's extra baggage to weigh him down.

Still, he had a hard time imagining that Jessica could ever cause a guy to look miserable and as he came around the corner, he saw a bunch of cheerleaders piling into a station wagon and stopped to see if he recognised one. He wasn't ready to give up on her. Not yet.

* * *

"I can't believe you guys did that," Maria said, rifling through the cosmetic bottles next to the sink. "Do you not know the definition of no?"

"We were just fooling around," Andy said. "I am so sorry, Liz."

Elizabeth sighed and stared into the mirror at her dowdy mascara smeared reflection. "It's okay, I'll survive." _I'm just never going to be able to look Conner in the face again_, she thought.

"Do you want me to get you a t-shirt or something?" Andy asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Elizabeth mumbled, holding onto the towel that was still wrapped around her body. She didn't have any intention to go out and retrieve her clothes at this point. "I'm such an idiot," Elizabeth said when Andy left the bathroom to get some clean and dry clothes for her. She covered her face with her hands. She pictured herself emerging from the pool—her wet hair matted to her face along with black streak lines running down her cheeks.

"It wasn't that bad," Maria in put. She took out a tissue pad encased with make-up remover and handed it to Elizabeth. "But since when do you wear so much make-up? In the years that we've been friends, I've never known you to wear so much make-up."

"I was trying it out," Elizabeth clarified, cleaning away the make-up. "The package said it was waterproof."

"Maybe in a drizzle," Maria implied.

Andy appeared at the door. "Here you go." He handed Elizabeth an orange El Carro t-shirt.

"Thanks," she said, taking the t-shirt and pulling it over her head before checking her reflection in the mirror. Ugh! She looked good but orange wasn't exactly her colour of choice to wear. Still, it was better than going back out to the crowd to retrieve her own clothes. She'd send Maria to get them for her. As of right now, she didn't feel like partying anymore.

"I guess I'm just going to go now." She tossed a make-up pad into the rubbish bin.

"Oh, c'mon, don't leave," Andy begged. "Evan and I will die of guilt."

"Good," Elizabeth joked half-heartedly. "No, I'd really just like to go. I'm kinda tired and I don't really feel like going back out there. Maria, could you get my bag?"

"Sure, just wait here."  
Andy pushed his hands through his unruly red curls. "I'll go tell Evan we have to sit around and mope," he said with a small smile.

"Forget it," Elizabeth asserted.

"I'll call you later," he said, staring off down the hall.

Elizabeth smirked. She shook her head as she pulled a brush through her wet hair. Conner might have noticed her for a few seconds but the second Taylor showed up, his gaze moved toward her. She had made an idiot of herself one too many times for him to ever really be interested. It was time to admit defeat. She couldn't be any more stupid to think she'd come up the winner against Taylor. Elizabeth just had to accept it. This kiss wasn't going to happen.

* * *

"Oh my god, I don't believe you," Taylor screeched in disbelief with a laugh.

"You don't believe me?" Conner asked, shaking his head.

"Well, no," Taylor hesitated. "I mean, don't get me wrong. Maybe you do listen to Justin Timberlake—on the radio—but whether you actually own his CD. Yeah, I doubt that."

Taylor whipped around and saw Andy emerge back into the pool area with Maria following behind him.

"Is Liz okay?" Taylor asked Maria expectantly with a sincere smile.

Maria gathered up Elizabeth's belonging and looked to Taylor, noticing who she was standing beside. As much as Maria liked Taylor, now was not the time for her to want to make small talk with her who was making nice with the guy who broke her heart.

"She's fine…a little embarrassed but she'll be fine," Maria replied while stuffing her friend's clothes into the bag she was holding and with that, she headed back into Andy's house.

"So, if you need anything, I'll be in the corner sulking," Andy infused sarcastically, causing both Taylor and Conner to let out a small laugh.

"There's no need to sulk Andy," Conner hindered. "It's a pool party. There was always going to be the odd chance that people would get wet." He looked to Taylor with a profound look planted on his face. "Why do girls feel the need to wear so much make-up? What are you hiding?"

Taylor smiled mischievously with a glimmer of mystery to her eyes.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" was all Taylor said, allowing the question to be left in mystery.

"Yeah, actually I would like to know," Conner insisted.

"Well, I'm sorry but you'll never be let in on our many reasons for being a girl. It's one of our many secrets," Taylor explained, tutting her fingers to her lips gracefully. "And don't change the subject."

"Change the subject? What were we talking about?"

"Hmm…I don't know," Taylor started, "does Justin Timberlake come to mind?" Taylor asked, refreshing Conner's memory.

"Oh, right," Conner said. "You don't think I've got a copy of one of his CD's."

"And now I can see why you were keen to change the topic so promptly," Taylor added with a furtive smirk.

"Okay, okay," Conner admitted defeat. "I don't own his CD but my sister Megan does. In fact, she's one of those die hard Justin fans who listens to every one of his songs on a loop…and I mean repetitively—we live in the same house where the walls are paper thin so I practically know every song word for word—not that I like to go around confessing that to people."

Taylor tiled her head to one side with supposed glee. Did she just hear him right? Had he let her in on one of his all time secrets? How sweet to share it with her. "Uh-huh, I think I get it. You don't want me to share your undying **affection** for Justin Timberlake with anyone else. Is that it?"

Conner gave her a raised eyebrow as if to understand whether she was being solemn or mordant.

Taylor laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I know what you mean. This conversation won't leave my soul. I'll lock the gate and throw away the key. I just find it funny to know that you'd listen to him, that's all. I mean, you've got this whole brooding rock star look going on. And all of a sudden, you listen to Justin—"

Conner held his hands up in defence, stopping Taylor in the midst of her speech. "I don't listen to him. He's in my car. I'm forced to listen to him."

"Uh-huh, then explain your reason to have his CD in your car. Are you broadening your musical horizons or something?"

"No." Conner stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his worn in jeans. "My sister is too young to drive so most times I'm pressured into driving her from point A to point B. It's not my fault that she despises my choice of unconventional music and instead opts to play crap music otherwise known as pop."

"So it's your sister's fault?" Taylor asked, sounding incredulous. "Maybe you're using your sister as an excuse to hide the fact that you **do** essentially like Justin Timberlake."

Conner shook his head and looked under his eyes.

"No, I have no interest in the guy or his music and I can prove it to you."

Taylor placed her hand on her hip. Now she was intrigued. How could Conner prove a fact to her? She knew this was a ridiculous topic to be discussing but she loved to make guys sweat and well, it was definitely working with Conner.

"How are you going to prove it to me?"

"I should have one of his CD's in the glove box of my car with my sister's name on it."

"How do you know I'm going to believe it's not yours?" Taylor taunted.

Conner smirked. "I guess we'll have to wait and see."

Taylor rolled her eyes. "Well, go get it. You've got a reputation to uphold—if I choose to believe you." Her eyes danced around as if she enjoyed seeing Conner wince in uncertainty of his beliefs.

"Oh, it will be sustained," Conner remarked with another leer proudly displayed on his face before he turned and headed towards the exit of the backyard in the direction of his car.

As Taylor watched Conner walk away, she couldn't help but let out a small smile materialize from the corners of her mouth. Taylor didn't go in too much to predicting future events but if there was one thing she did predict, it was that this game was beginning to get interesting. And she couldn't wait to foresee what would happen next.

* * *

"That's the last party I go to for a long time," Elizabeth muttered to herself as she opened the door of the Jeep. She threw her bag onto the front passenger seat and pulled down on the oversized t-shirt Andy loaned her. She climbed into the car and leaned back against the seat, resting her head on the head rest.

At that moment, she saw Conner walk out the end of the drive way to his car. Just as he started to unlock his car door, he looked up and saw Elizabeth sitting in her car and so he started to walk towards her.

Conner wore his standard apparel—white t-shirt and baggy jeans—he was all freshly tanned and his hair glistened as if he had just gotten out of the pool. He looked incredible. One question that was suppressed to her mind was where was Taylor? The last time she checked, they were beginning to start up a friendly conversation. Did it go sour already?

It didn't surprise Elizabeth. Taylor was a cheerleader. She didn't look the type to fit in with Conner's expectations towards a girl. She was seemingly flawless and committed to relationships when she did have a boyfriend. Unlike her who was—but wait, what was she thinking? Elizabeth was nothing like an opposite of Taylor. She was Taylor, minus the whole cheerleading part. She wasn't a cheerleader but she did go into meaningful relationships if her past history with Todd was anything to go by. She and Taylor were exactly the same.

"You're leaving?" he asked. Elizabeth couldn't believe he had come to talk to her.

"I think I've provided enough entertainment for today."

Conner smirked. "It wasn't that bad."

"Did you just say something to make me feel better?" Elizabeth asked dubiously. She grabbed her bag and started digging through it for a piece of paper. "Wait a minute. I have to write this down."

"Mark the time," he said, starting to walk away and Elizabeth tried to think of something to talk about in order to keep him from walking away. He walked around to the passenger seat and got in. The easiest thing she could think of was "Do you need a ride?"

Why else would he have gotten into the Jeep?

"No, I have a car, remember." Conner looked up at the clear blue sky. "It must be nice at night."

For a moment Elizabeth sat there in stunned silence wondering what the hell he was talking about before it came to realisation that he meant the Jeep having no top.

"Yeah but you have a convertible."

"Top's busted," he said, cocking his head out the window. "It won't go down."

"Oh," Elizabeth said, unable to think of anything else to say. They sat in silence again for a moment, suddenly hoping that he'd break the earth shattering tension in the air that surrounded them.

"I should let you go," Conner finally said, starting to open his door. Elizabeth's keys slipped out of her hand and hit the centre console down near Conner's seat.

"I got it," he said.

Elizabeth's hand was also searching the space when Conner leaned over to help. His cheek brushed hers, and Elizabeth froze. This was totally unexpected. Her face stung where his stubble had brushed her skin. He was about to spring back but Elizabeth wasn't moving.

She could feel his breath on her neck.

Slowly Conner started to pull away but Elizabeth still couldn't move. She was looking into his eyes.

_This is it_, Elizabeth thought. _Now is my chance to kiss him_.

And then she kissed him. Her lips touched his softly. Very softly. And Elizabeth started to float as if she was in out of space and there was no gravity to be firmly placed on the ground. She could feel the kiss in every inch of her body. It was the sweetest touch she had ever experienced—a touch that didn't go unseen by a certain blonde haired cheerleader who had gone in search of Conner to see what was taking him so long to retrieve his CD.

The kiss left her stunned and despairing and before she could stand around long enough to have a reaction, she ran from the scene and away from any chance that would leave her broken hearted.

* * *

In a moment, it was all over. Conner jerked away and pressed himself back into his seat. Elizabeth's heart was pounding as she thought she heard him utter the word damn.

Elizabeth sat up. "Conner—"

"What are you doing?

"I…I…" Elizabeth stuttered incoherently. What could she say? That she had to kiss him to see if there was something there between them?

"I have to go." He was out of the car in seconds.

"Okay," she said quietly, unable to say anything else. He obviously wasn't expecting to have her kiss him.

He stopped outside, as if the Jeep's door was enough of a barrier between him and Liz. "I'll…I'll see you at home." He walked down the street to his car.

Elizabeth's hands were shaking as she fumbled around for her keys. She finally found them and started the car just as she saw Conner head back to Andy's place.

She sat for a moment, trying to regain her sanity. But one thing kept repeating itself in her mind.

Tia was right. You could tell everything from one kiss.


	16. Starting Over

_Take a breath  
I pull myself together  
Just another step till I reach the door  
You'll never know the way it tears me up inside to see you  
I wish that I could tell you something  
To take it all away_

Simple Plan, "Save You"

**

* * *

**

_Chapter Sixteen_

Later on that evening Taylor sat down on her pink bedspread contemplating her next move. Was she doing the right thing? Was she going to be setting herself up for heart break all over again again? Could she risk going through that same pain a second time? These were the questions that were going through her mind constantly and she didn't know what she should do now.

It was all so confusing and up until an hour ago, she thought she had it all figured out but now she wasn't sure of anything anymore. She thought she and Conner were friends. She liked Conner. She thought he liked her by the assumption he gave out when he was around her. But she guessed she was wrong when she saw Conner kissing Elizabeth that afternoon outside Andy's place.

How could she have gotten it so wrong? Then again, it was normal for Taylor to assume one thing and then have something completely unexpected take her by surprise and take a turn in a way she hadn't intended it to go. It had happened to her one too many times before. This was her life. She should have known that her so-called perfect life would break away at the seams as soon as an opportunity arose. Taylor never got her 'Happily Ever After' ending.

As of this moment, Taylor decided that she needed to live in the moment. She hated to take a chance but it was the only thing holding her together at the moment. 'The Taylor Show' needed a drastic storyline to shake-up the already aired episodes. Knowing how to get the shake-up storyline, her life so surely needed, she picked up her iPhone from the side table beside her four pillar queen sized bed and punched in the numbers that she had tried but didn't succeed and became an unforgettable phone number she couldn't get out of her head-especially since in past months, it was a number she had become accustomed to.

"Hello?" a gruff voice from Taylor's past answered, bringing a halt to the dial tone.

"Hi...Josh," Taylor responded austerely, unsure of what else she should say or do at this point.

"Taylor?" Josh asked who sounded surprised to hear Taylor call him.

"Uh, yeah it's me," she stated simply.

"Well, what goes on? Why did you call me? Not that I'm not happy to hear your voice but after the way we left things, I wasn't entirely sure I'd hear from you again-even after I pleaded with you to give us-me another shot," Josh explained in his own words.

A small smile spread across her face in a heart felt way. Even after the few months that they had been apart, somehow Josh could still bring a smile to Taylor's face in the so little words he spoke-whether she could see him or not. She bet he was running his hand through his sandy blonde hair as they spoke. It was what he usually did when he anxiously awaited Taylor's arrival or answer to his question.

"You're running your hand through your hair right now, aren't you?"

"How'd you know? Are you psychic?" Josh questioned.

"No," Taylor replied with a laugh. "I guess I just know you too well. I mean, when we were dating, you used to run your hand through your hair as a sign of nervousness or anxiety. I doubt it has changed."

Josh laughed. "I guess not." He paused for a brief second before speaking. "So, is there an answer to my question?"

"Pardon? What question?" Taylor asked, being taken off guard by all that was said between the two.

"Is there a reason to why you called me out of the blue like you did?" Josh asked again.

"Oh, that," she heard herself say in her head but was unable to make the words come out of her mouth to have him hear those two words. But she had called Josh for a reason so it was now or never. She had to get it off her chest before she lost all nerve and hung up without so much of a reason to why she suddenly cut out the phone call and have him think she was an idiot who didn't know what she wanted.

Taylor cleared her throat and bit on her bottom lip uneasily. "Yeah, I guess I did call you for a specific purpose..." She stopped in the midst of her sentence, suddenly forgetting everything she wanted to talk about with Josh and she couldn't understand why she was so jittery with nerves. It had never happened to her before.

Taylor had always been known to be filled with loads of buoyancy and who always wore a huge smile planted on her face regardless of the situation she faced. Even after she spent most of her summer in hospital, her friends and family still found her with a smile engulfed on her face although at that point, little did they know that at first it was merely a cover act for what she was really hiding from the rest of the world-pain and depression.

Taylor figured she had gotten rid of the concealed energy she had once been holding out on. And she just figured she'd never feel all jittery even when talking to Josh-whether they had called it quits or not. After all, it was Josh. Sure, their relationship had come to an end but it didn't mean that Taylor had merely forgotten everything she knew about him or everything she used to discuss with him.

It was simply impossible to just wipe it clear from her head because he had become such a huge part of her life for an entire year. You couldn't just forget something like that. But now, she needed to face up to the courage she once knew she didn't need to behold when she spoke to Josh.

"...the other day when you asked if we could give us another shot, I was hesitant at first, just because you really hurt me which then led to our entire break up in the first place and I was just afraid to let you in my life again and then risk you breaking my heart again," Taylor explained, clutching her chest with her hand.

"Taylor-"

"No, Josh," Taylor cut in. "Please let me get this out. I need to get it off my chest."

She really did need to let it out and if she didn't, she felt like she would explode to leave nothing but the remains of her four inch Manola heeled shoes. "I was scared. I still am scared to have you be a part of my life but I can't let fear ruin any chance that I may have to be happy either."

"So, where does that leave us?" Josh asked.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I've had time to think and I think that what we had is something that we shouldn't give up on, especially if we can get back to the way we were before the earthquake and everything else happened."

Taylor emphasised on those two words for a specific reason. She needed to make sense to him that he hurt her. That his mistake cost him their relationship break up in the first place but she also wanted to try and give them another shot because however heartbroken she was over Josh or Conner, she knew that deep down, she was still harbouring unreclaimed feelings for Josh and that they would never go away unless she decided to act on her emotions and reassess her own desires for her ex-boyfriend-given that these so called emotions she was feeling were the real deal-again.

"I-I'm sorry. About everything that happened in the past. With Ashley," Josh stuttered. For the first time in a long time that Taylor could even recall, Josh truly sounded genuine, like he meant it this time-even if it was over the phone.

Taylor shook her head profusely. "And I'll believe you if I don't have to hear you say her name or see her again."

"Then I guess it's a good thing she got transferred to Big Mesa." He paused for a brief moment as if half expecting to hear a response from Taylor but she didn't which prompted him to articulate. "I mean it, Taylor. If you give me another shot, I'm not going to stuff it up again. I've made that mistake once already. I refuse to lose you again; now that I know what it is like not to have you in my life."

Taylor couldn't believe what she was hearing. Could it be that The Josh Radinski, King of all playas' was actually keen to rekindle their thing they shared? It was definitely something she never thought she'd be hearing from Josh-even if he was her ex.

"Taylor? Are you still there?" Josh asked again when he got no reply.

"Yeah, I'm here," Taylor replied, still in star struck mode. "I guess I kind of got sidetracked when I heard you say that you refused to lose me again."

"Why? It is what you want to hear, isn't it?"

Duh! Of course it was what she wanted to hear but it had still come as a shock from the guy who had broken her heart once before. She, herself couldn't even believe that she was having this conversation with him. He had broken her heart before. Who's to say that he wasn't going to do it again? Maybe this was all talk, just to win her back and get inside her pants. She wasn't sure.

She didn't know but she at least needed to give them another go. Maybe this time would be different. Maybe Josh was being sincere. It was a first for him but it wasn't entirely doubtful. Maybe everything that had happened during the summer was a wake up call that Josh truly needed-to make him understand where his heart truly lied.

"No, it's what I've wanted to hear from you. I'm just surprised to hear you say it. I didn't take you to say those things and actually mean them."

"Well, actually I think I'm more surprised than you to hear myself speak those words but I mean them. I really do," Josh said. "And I don't want to hurt you again. It hasn't made you re consider your decision has it?"

"No," Taylor said. "It hasn't. I want to be with you Josh. I want to give us another go."

"Oh, Tay, you don't know how happy hearing you say that makes me," Josh said. Taylor imagined him wearing a wide grin on his face as they spoke. "I want to be with you too and I promise that I'm not going to mess us up again. I'm not prepared to lose you a second time."

Taylor was speechless and all that she could manage to get out in a raspy tone was "OK."

"So, did you want to come out with me tonight? To you know, celebrate on getting back together. We should do something because I didn't think I'd ever get another shot with you. To tell you the truth, I figured you liked Conner now but I am so glad you're not into him because I'd rather not lose you to him."

Yeah, me too, Taylor thought to herself.

"Uh, yeah, I guess we could go out."

"Great! Does the riot sound OK? I was planning to go there with Will, Melissa and a bunch of our group anyway."

"Sure."

"OK, so I'll swing by your place and pick you up in an hour, okay?"

"Sounds good, I'll be ready."

"Alright then, see you soon," Josh said before he hung up. "Tay?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you've decided to give me another chance. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too."

After they had hung up, Taylor dropped her phone on the bed and sat there contemplating the change she had just made to her life. Was it drastic enough? She sure hoped so. Sure, Josh had broken her heart once before but he had made his intentions clear that he wasn't going to hurt her again. She had to take a chance on love and take his word that he meant every word he said.

Maybe it was possible to believe every word that emerged from Josh's mouth when he said that he didn't want to ruin their newly rekindled relationship and risk losing her from his life all over again. Just maybe everything was going to work out the way she wanted it to after all.

* * *

The following Monday as the warning bell rang to signal the beginning of the lunch period, Conner, with his bag slung over his shoulder, walked down the cinder coloured corridor to his locker so he could dump the truck load of text books and notebooks he would no longer need for the rest of the day.

While walking to his locker, he brushed past a group of senior jocks, including Josh Radinski who Conner was then familiarised with after he heard his voice sound loudly by what he was talking about or rather what he was bragging about to his mates.

Conner hated to eavesdrop in on conversations that he wasn't in but this time it was different. He couldn't help but overhear what was being said when he was walking past them and especially when Josh was gabbling excessively loud.

What was heard was, "Well, believe it. We're back together. Taylor decided to give us another go."

"Why you go and do a thing like that? I thought you were my wing man." Matt asked.

"'You going to seal the deal with her? You know, take what is rightfully yours," another hollowed.

"Time will tell," Josh said.

It was all Conner could take at this point and he continued on down the hallway. But at least he now knew the reason as to why Taylor skipped out on him at Andy's party.

* * *

Unfortunately, what Conner didn't hear was an entirely different side of Josh-one that would be surprised when it came to Josh and what he was like with girls.

"So, dude, you didn't answer me. Does this change you and me Are you still my wing man?" Matt asked again.

Josh shook his head. "Nah, man, you're gonna have to look for another buddy to go out and pick up chicks."

"Why would I go and do something like that? You're my boy. Of course you'll still be there. You being with Taylor shouldn't make a diference. It didn't last time."

"Has Taylor put you on a short leash or something?" Another football mate named Chase casually asked him. His cheeky grin said it all.

"No man. Taylor has nothing to do with it. I've just made a promise to myself and I don't want to break it," Josh insisted, breaking out of his circle of friends and began walking down the corridor and away from his mates.

"You are so whipped!" Matt called out.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Josh said, shrugging off his friends' comment with a wave. Whipped was a word that he used to call Will in regards to his relationship with Melissa. It definitely wasn't a word he thought he'd hear his friends calling out to him. But now that his mates had used the word on him, he was beginning to think that it wasn't such a bad label after all.

* * *

He had been to his locker and now Conner was heading to the cafeteria for some lunch but there was something on his mind. Something he couldn't shake. Why would Taylor go back to Josh? He didn't understand. He thought she had said she would never take him back. Was that all a lie? For once Melissa was telling the truth and for that, he wished her all the luck in the world. He hoped Taylor was right to go back to that ass. They obviously deserved one another.

So why was she putting her heart in the firing line for more calamity again? Hadn't she learned from her mistake the first time? It just became all but a mystic puzzle to him and as he rounded the corner of her cafeteria, he spotted the girl on his mind and decided now was the time to get inside her head and ask why she had just skipped out on him the other day and if she really was going back out with Josh. Maybe it was just a big misunderstanding and he had gotten the wrong end of the stick. Taylor would be able to clear everything up. He hoped.

"Hey!" Conner said to her.

Taylor looked over the top of her locker door and saw Conner with a stung expression on his face. She wondered what he wanted from her now. Hadn't he gotten everything he wanted? He got the girl he wanted, so what did he want from her?

"Hi," Taylor replied agitatedly. What else was there to say? She kept herself busy and buried her head inside her locker, half hoping he'd get the picture and continue on his way. But no such luck when she took a peek around her locker door and still found him standing next to her, he too was obviously stuck by what to say.

"So," Conner started. "I heard you're dating Josh again."

Now Taylor was interested. Since when did he take pride in knowing her business? And how did he even find out that she and Josh was a couple again? Sure, they were official but they hadn't exactly had time to make their presence known to everyone. Not even Annie who was her best friend or even Tia who lived next door to her knew about her and Josh yet and they would usually be the first people she'd tell before anyone else.

"So is there any truth to the rumour?" Conner asked with persistence, his eyes like shooting darts.

"Well, I guess it doesn't take long for everybody to find out who is dating who around here. There's no need for me to alert my friends now."

"Not when your boyfriend is doing the job for you. You've got him to thank for that," Conner said, giving out a tone of annoyance before changing the subject. "So what happened to you on Saturday afternoon at Andy's place? I looked for you when I returned but you were no where to be found."

"Yeah, I got bored waiting for you and went home besides I had a better offer like you did," Taylor added smugly.

Conner gave out an odd expression. "Are you happy with your decision?"

"My decision?" Taylor asked, looking puzzled.

"To date Josh again because I know what Josh is like when it comes to women and I'm scared to think you're setting yourself up for-"

"For what?" Taylor intercepted harshly. "You think I'm setting myself up for more pain? And what would you know."

"I know what I heard," Conner said. "He's using you so he can sleep with you and then once he's gotten what he wants he'll move on to the next one. Your heart will be broken but hey, at least, he'll be happy. His reputation will still be in tact."

"So? Why would it matter to you? You are not my boyfriend. I don't need you protect me. I am a big girl. I can look after myself. Save the advice for you and Liz," Taylor retorted infuriatingly. "You'll need it."

Me and Liz? What was Taylor talking about? Had she seen the kiss and then decided to leave? Was that why she had left him there without a word of warning that she was leaving? It didn't make any sense.

Conner was about to contest but was interrupted by Josh who had approached the two of them, his eyes never once leaving Conner.

"Hey, babe, you ready to head to lunch?" he asked, wrapping his strong arm around her waist while lacing a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear and gently placing a kiss on her cheek. He looked towards Conner, his eyes strongly searching his own as for meaning to why he was there with his girlfriend.

Taylor smiled. "I am now," she spoke softly, stuffing the final few books from her locker into her shoulder bag and slammed her locker door shut. She turned to Josh. "Let's go."

"Great! I'm starving." Josh took his arm from around her waist as they both side stepped around Conner. He interlocked his left hand with Taylor's right and they made their way away from Conner and towards the cafeteria but not before Taylor swiftly turned her head to look over her shoulder at what was behind her.

Her eyes locked on Conner who gave out an empathetic expression deep within his eyes and then in a second, unable to take any more of Conner's sharp glare, she turned back to Josh and dug herself closer inward to her boyfriend. She and Josh were back to the way they had been before everything else had happened to them.

Sure, her friends may have something to say about her newly committed relationship to Josh but she didn't care. She had been happy then and she was happy now. It was all that she wanted. It really was.


	17. Never Back Down

_Chapter Seventeen_

Days had past since Taylor and Josh had been officially recognised as a couple again and since then, her friends had been throwing all kinds of questions in her face. But one was rather repetitively. Why would she agree to give him another chance after breaking her heart the first time? Taylor appreciated everything her friends were saying and she knew they were only protecting her because they didn't want to see her hurting again but this time she knew it was going to be different.

Thursday afternoon Taylor sat in the basement of Josh's house as they spent some time alone together. Today was their first real day where they could actually spend time together without having a prior commitment to something else — Josh with football practice and Taylor with cheerleading practice.

She fell back on the couch and looked around at the Radinski's family basement as she lay back and engrossed in a make out session with her boyfriend. Yep, it was definitely make-out central with the big widescreen television that sat in the centre of the room, overhead lights to create a surreal mood and a multi level sound system.

Taylor remembered all the times when she and Josh would spend the days they had nothing planned with each other and how they'd confine themselves to his basement and watch movies together as they sat cuddling up to one another. The best movies were those scary thrillers and if there was a particularly scary moment in the film then Taylor would lean in to Josh and hide her face into him so she was out of view of the movie.

And being Josh, he'd protectively wrap his arm around her and tell her that it was almost over. It was those moments when she had never felt more safe and secure than being with Josh.

She was completely in the mood to kiss her boyfriend because Josh had said that he wasn't going to hurt her again. But Taylor also couldn't get what Conner said out of her head. Was Conner right? Was Josh only with her to get the one thing he knew would sustain his reputation? Was he only out for sex?

She just couldn't just switch her mind off the subject and it was becoming a definite distraction to what was going on right now and she wished it wasn't because Josh looked incredibly good looking wearing a blue t-shirt, worn in denim jeans and his thick blonde hair was just scruffy enough to make him look completely sexy but not overly messy.

"Josh," Taylor murmured to him when he moved away from her now dry chapped lips and began trailing kisses starting from her collarbone down to her shoulders.

"Yeah?" His voice was low and gruff between each kiss.

She gently pushed herself away from Josh and sat up, leaning against the plush cotton cushion behind her. "I think we should stop this."

"Why? What's the matter, babe?"

Taylor pulled down on the sleeves of her grey hoodie unsure of what to say. There were a million ways she could say it. She just didn't know how to say it so finally she knew she just had to get out regardless of how Josh would react. "Are you only with me for sex?"

Josh propped himself up, pushing his hands down to balance out the weight of himself. "What? Did someone say something to you?"

"No, not really…it's just that Conner overheard you saying to your friends how we hooked up again and it just got me thinking, that's all. I mean, the whole sex issue was the reason you cheated on me because I wasn't ready to do it which then led me to break up with you in the first place. I just don't want you to think that this time around means that I'm ready to take the next step with you…not that I don't want to because I do. I just want to make sure that when I do decide to take the plunge that it's going to be with someone special because for me, it holds a special place in my heart."

Unlike most people who used parties and clubs as a means to get drunk and hook up with random people to have meaningless sex and then forget it the next day, Taylor wasn't one of those people. She just couldn't do it. To her, it was what two people shared with one another because they loved each other and couldn't stand to be apart and so nothing else in the world mattered but their love for each other. Sure, it sounded corny to think of it like that but Taylor had always imagined her first time to be special in its own way so she wasn't about to depict another idea of the concept.

Josh looked deep into Taylor's blue green eyes. "Look, Taylor, you have nothing to worry about. I'm in this for the long haul."

"And what about your friends? They'll only increase your persistency and egg you on. You won't want to wait for me to be ready forever," she said in an audible tone as she traced the outline of Josh's t-shirt with her fingers.

Josh slipped a strand of Taylor's wavy blonde hair behind her ear. "Forget what Conner told you. He didn't hear the entire story. You know what the guys are like, don't you?"

Taylor nodded her head.

"They're just being their usual selves but they've never been in a steady relationship like me," Josh continued. "They don't know what it's like. I made my mistake last time. I'm not prepared to do it and risk losing you all over again. I don't want to hurt you again. I'll wait for you. When you're ready, I will be too."

She smiled with a satisfied grin. Josh had told her everything she had wanted to hear him say. And it felt good to know that he was trying to learn from his mistakes and fix everything he had lost. She looked over to the television screen where a sappy made for television love fest was playing. She hadn't exactly been following along with the movie since she and Josh had embarked on a kissing festival but she could vaguely make out a storyline anyway.

It wasn't that she didn't want to have sex with Josh. It was just that she wasn't sure she was completely ready to. After everything that had already happened between the two of them, she just needed to know that she wasn't going to rush into something that she was unsure about. It needed to feel right when the time did come.

She could feel Josh's eyes on her and tingles shot up and down her back with expectancy. Right now, all she wanted him to do was kiss her and since he wasn't taking a hint, she guessed she'd need to make the first move.

Taylor tilted her head toward him so that she was staring into his intense blue green eyes. "Radinski," she teased seductively. "Are you going to kiss me or not?"

Josh's eyes brightened. "Whatever you command, baby."

And then before Taylor even had a chance to blink, Josh's hands were on either side of her face as he pressed his lips to her. Taylor gave in, kissing Josh back letting his tongue enter her mouth and feel his against hers as they battled for dominance but Taylor gave in and let Josh overpower her once again with his passionate kisses.

When he parted, he left her lips feeling moist and craving for more. "Did that satisfy you baby?" he whispered with a heavy sigh.

Before Taylor could respond, she closed her eyes and let out a yawn. These past couple of months had been so long and tiresome after everything she had been through. She found it hard to sleep and when she did sleep, she couldn't get enough of it. So much had happened that she just wanted it all to be over.

"You tired?" Josh asked her.

Taylor nodded her head, resting it against his shoulder. She was physically and emotionally worn out. She just felt like crawling into bed and going to sleep. Here eyes fluttered shut at the thought of sleep.

Her eyes flew open and she let out a squeal of surprise as Josh picked her up in one swift motion and began carrying her bride-style towards the stairs. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

Taylor laughed. "Put me down, Josh. You're gonna drop me," she said as he began making his way up the stairs.

"Drop you?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "If I wanted to I could throw you across the room like a three pointer. Want me to?" he asked, laughing as he swayed her in his arms like he was getting ready to throw her.

Taylor's eyes widened as her arms tightened their grip on him so he wouldn't let go of her. "Don't you dare," she warned him austerely, trying to refrain from giggling but couldn't. "Besides, this isn't even my bedroom. It's yours and I'm having dinner with your family tonight, remember? I'll sleep later."

"No you won't. You'll sleep now. My family knows what you've been through this summer. They won't mind," he told her, striding up the stairs. "And I'll wake you up before dinner anyway. I know how you like to eat."

Taylor looked at him with a contemptuous expression and playfully swatted him on the chest for his remark which then led him to respond. "What, you do like your food. And I love a girl who eats and still maintains her weight well."

Taylor narrowed her eyes. "Good come back." Her mouth erupted into a grin.

Once Josh reached his door way, Taylor squirmed and wiggled to be let go of. Josh carefully returned Taylor's feet back to the ground and Taylor opened the door to his room. She walked over to his bed and sat herself down so that her head was resting against the backboard of the bed. Josh made his own way to bed and took a seat beside Taylor. She looked over at him and was taken aback by the intense gaze he was giving back to her.

"What?" she whispered. A whisper was all that she could manage.

Josh simply looked at her and shook his head.

"No, what?" she asked a little louder, finding her voice again.

"Nothing, I just…I love you," he said with a smirk upon his face. It felt so great to say that to her. He had never been in love before so he hadn't been sure what exactly it was that he was feeling. But he was pretty sure that this was one of the greatest feelings in the world.

His smile was contagious and she couldn't keep her own smile off her face at his words. She loved hearing it — especially from him. "I love you too." She loved saying it just as much as she loved hearing it — especially to him. This was the most incredible feeling ever. She couldn't believe how intense her feelings for him were.

Taylor buried her head into Josh's sweatshirt as she snuggled into his side. She was really happy that they were able to get over what had happened. She was actually pretty surprised that she had been able to let go of it so quickly, but then again she had always been a pretty forgiving person. Even though she had forgiven him, she hadn't forgotten about what had happened. But she would get over it soon enough and be able to put it in the past where it belonged.

Josh dipped his head down and captured her lips with his as he broke her out of her deep thoughts. She instantly responded back as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She moaned softly into Josh's mouth as she felt his tongue slide into hers, massaging her tongue with his own.

Taylor lay back on the bed, Josh following on top of her. Her hands moved to the back of his head and her fingers started playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. His mouth soon left her mouth and travelled down to her neck where he began placing his mind blowing kisses along her neck and jawbone.

His hands travelled down to her hips and slowly slivered their way underneath her sweatshirt, touching the soft, smooth skin of her stomach before he manoeuvred his way to touch the soft silkiness fabric of her bra as he caressed her breast through the lightweight material. Taylor unintentionally shivered at his touch. It was like fire had burst into flames on her skin whenever his touch came into contact her body.

Taylor inattentively slid her hands down his back and under Josh's t-shirt. She let her hands travel back up his back, feeling all his muscles as she did so. Josh groaned at the feeling of her small hands moving up and down his back as she touched his bare skin. Taylor turned him on so much more than any other girl had even when she simple touched him. He didn't even think it was this possible to want someone as much as he wanted her.

Taylor was in another world. She had never felt this good before. In the back of her mind, she kept telling herself that she needed to stop this before things got too heated between them and they went too far to lose control and were unable to stop. But somehow, she just couldn't seem to get herself to think straight enough to speak, let alone listen to the thoughts running through her head.

She pulled Josh's head back so she could kiss him again. As of this moment, her obstinacy was getting weaker and weaker by every minute that passed. Everything that he was doing to her was slowly making her lose her mind like she wanted to go further with him.

She wanted him to continue kissing her with his prevailing kisses that hit her every unseen emotion and movement. At his touch, her body sent shockwaves throughout her whole entire body like electricity. Goose bumps began forming up and down her arms but in a good way. It was like Josh had set her on fire.

"Taylor." Josh breathed her name against her mouth. He loved kissing her and making out with her, but things were getting heated rather quickly and Josh figured that if he didn't stop now then he was afraid he wouldn't be able to later on.

"Yeah?" She moved her mouth down to his jaw, placing kisses along the side of it.

"Tay," Josh groaned. He didn't know how much more he could take of this without losing control. She was driving him crazy. He needed to stop before things got too out of control. Taylor didn't seem to take the hint so he gently pushed himself off of her.

Taylor looked up at him, her hazel eyes trying to figure out what he was trying to say.

"I just…don't…well after what has already happened, I just don't think we should go any further than where we are right now," he stammered, trying to explain his reason for letting their make out session from going any further than where they were.

Taylor took a deep breath as she realized what he was saying. And he was right. She hadn't wanted to stop, but she was glad that Josh had stopped them because she wanted to be positive that she was ready to take the next step in their relationship. And she knew that in the back of her mind she wasn't completely ready just yet. She knew that she loved him and that he loved her too but she just needed a little bit more time.

She felt bad for not being the one that had stopped them considering she was the one who wasn't ready to take things further but her heart leaped at the fact that Josh had actually stopped to think of her ethics and she appreciated that a lot, especially when she hadn't been the one to think about what she had said earlier on.

She inhaled a heavy breath as she sat up and tried to collect herself retrospectively. "You're right," she said. "I'm sorry."

Josh's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything."

Taylor bit her bottom lip as she pulled her blonde hair together and pinned it up into a pony tail, securing it with an elastic band from around her wrist. "For making you wait so long, especially when you're already ready."

Josh shook her head. "No, Taylor, you don't have to be sorry, OK? I meant what I said, when you're ready, I will be too." He assured her.

Taylor merely nodded her head with a sparkle in her eyes. His words were melting her like putty. He was saying everything she wanted to hear him tell her. "I love you." She leaned up, giving him a soft kiss.

Josh proudly smirked. "I love you too," he beamed. He loved hearing her say that to him. Who would have ever though that he could be totally in love with one person? He had never really pictured himself being in love with one girl only but now that he was, he couldn't imagine not being with Taylor.

And it was the greatest feeling in the world. He knew that he didn't want this feeling to end and that meant having some other guy come between him and _his_ girl. He watched her face break out into a huge grin and it made him smile at her happiness.

She couldn't believe how fast she had fallen for him, but she wouldn't change it for anything. It was the most amazing feeling ever and she never wanted it to be over. She never wanted this to end and she hoped that it wouldn't, but she didn't want to think about that right now.

"I'll let you get some rest," Josh suggested, rising from the bed, ready to leave the room but before he could go, Taylor reached out and grabbed hold of his hand, pushing him back to her. "Stay with me," she said softly, her voice timid.

"Okay," he told her. "But only if you want me to."

Taylor nodded her head in response and to that Josh lay back down on the bed beside Taylor and lovingly wrapped his arm across her stomach.

Taylor mentally scolded herself for not being the one to stop her and Josh but she decided to let it go. Josh's unary actions was making Taylor feel like he really did mean what he continued to say to her. That he had learnt from his mistake and vowed never to cause her pain again.

Taylor was beginning to think that he really had changed his womanising ways since their initial break up and it scared her because she could feel herself becoming ready to take her relationship with Josh to the next level.

A few minutes later, Taylor rolled over onto her stomach and rested her head on Josh's chest, feeling his chest rise and fall from the convulsions of his breathing. His arm involuntarily wrapped warmly around her waist and as her eye fluttered shut, she felt Josh place a kiss on top of her head. Josh whispered those same three word Taylor had heard him tell her earlier and she smiled at hearing him say them again, allowing her to return a whisper with "I love you too."

Staring up at the ceiling, Josh knew that there wasn't a disinclined bone in his body telling him to let Taylor go. He refused to back down without a fight.

* * *

Friday morning before the warning bell rang to signal the beginning of homeroom class, Josh spotted Conner at his locker and broke away from the other jocks almost instantaneously. If there was going to be a time to fill Conner in on his relationship with Taylor, it would be now because Josh refused to allow Conner fill Taylor's ears with nuisance of Josh's reasons to be with her again. It was simply not true and he couldn't just stand there and let this happen. He had to set the guy straight.

"Conner, what do you think you're doing?" Josh asked him when he neared closer down the hall towards him.

Conner turned in the direction of where the voice had come from who was calling him. When he saw Josh walking towards him, he half expected it to be some kind of joke or something. It wasn't that he disliked Josh; it was just that since the start of their freshman year of high school they had just been in different cliques. Josh was a jock on the football and basketball team and so he hung out with the jocks.

"Uh…I'm grabbing books for class," Conner said, making no attempt to be friendly. He knew Josh wasn't one of the brightest people in his class but surely he could figure out what he was doing just by being at his locker. Josh had never made any attempt to make friends with him so why now? There had to be an ulterior motive. "What do you want Josh?"

"What I want is," Josh began, stepping closer to Conner "is for you to stay away from Taylor," he finished.

Now he knew why Josh was here talking to him. He should have known that it'd be about Taylor. It was always about Taylor.

But there was no way Conner was going to stand by and take what Josh was throwing at him. He knew Josh was just playing the overjealous boyfriend type and it was preposterous. "Well, I think I'm going to wait to ask Taylor if she wants me in her life or not."

Josh looked directly into Conner's eyes. "I don't want to have to fight you but I will if you don't —"

"What?" Conner interjected harshly. "You're going to fight me if I don't stay away from your girlfriend. I was only looking out for Taylor. I thought she ought to know the truth about her boyfriend before she got hurt again."

Josh furrowed his eyebrow. Why doesn't that surprise me? McDermott thinks he can be the big hero and protect another guy's girlfriend when he's never even had a serious girlfriend." He sarcastically laughed. "But you know what? Taylor doesn't need you to protect her. She's my girlfriend, not yours. I'll be the one to protect her, not you," Josh said through gritted teeth.

Conner clenched his hands into fists, ready to hit the guy but he refrained himself, remembering he was still at school. There was no way he was just going to let Josh tell him who he could and couldn't be friends with. It was just out of the question. He wasn't going to take orders from some so call tough guy, let alone a jock. He had never answered to a jock in his life and he wasn't about to start now — especially to Josh.

"Listen, Radinski, I won't take orders from you and the only guy who's going to be the one to hurt Taylor is you. You're really good at that, aren't you?" Conner tested his patience. He slammed his locker door shut with a bang that made Josh shudder back slightly. Conner slung his back pack over his shoulder and glanced down to see Josh's hands were clenched into fists so hard that his knuckles had changed colour into a shade resembling the colour white.

Conner raised his eyebrow. "You going to hit me, Radinski?" Go on, hit me. I dare you."

Passing students who were walking down the hall en route to class immediately stopped in their tracks and turned their attention to the fight that was about to go down in front of them, forming a circle around them. Why was it that students were always so adamant towards a fight?

Josh raised his arm ready to hit Conner and give him a piece of his mind when Will and Matt intervened pulling the two of them apart from each other causing the student spectators to whine in displeasure.

"C'mon dude, the bell's gonna sound soon," Will said.

"Yeah," Matt said with a smile, gazing over to Conner and then back to Josh. "He's not worth it."

As Josh backed away from the thinned out crowd, he stopped in his tracks and glanced back to Conner. There was no way he was going to back away from an argument. Josh Radinski always walked away from an argument undefeated. "Stay away from Taylor," he warned austerely.

Conner shook his head lightly with no enthusiasm.

"Oh, don't worry Radinski. I won't have to do anything. Knowing your ways, you'll lose Taylor all on your own," Conner laughed, turning around to walk away in the opposite direction. And this time, he'd be there to console Taylor when she got her heart broken again.


	18. We're just getting started

**A/N: So this is when the fun starts...but first a little of my favourite couple because I couldn't refuse. :P The song used is "Don't Stop The Music" by Rihanna. Enjoy!!**

**New Beginnings**

**Chapter Eighteen**

_It's gettin late  
I'm making my way over to my favorite place  
I gotta get my body moving shake the stress away  
I wasn't looking for nobody when you looked my way  
Possible candidate (yeah)  
Who knew  
That you'd be up in here lookin like you do  
You're makin' stayin' over here impossible  
Baby I must say your aura is incredible  
If you don't have to go don't  
_

Friday afternoon when school had ended for the day, Jessica bestowed away at a table in the corner of House of Java as she sipped her double mocha latte while reading a copy of the latest issue of Seventeen magazine. This wasn't exactly her favourite thing to do on a Friday afternoon after school but lately she found herself getting into this new found tradition she had bought upon herself to do because she knew that her life as she knew it had changed and that she was completely alone — alone.

Not only did she not have so much of a social life anymore but she also didn't have a boyfriend or a job at Healthy — no thanks to her very own sister. Last week, Liz had agreed to take her shift at Healthy because Jess had covered her shift at HOJ so that Liz could go to a concert. And to make matters worst, Liz hadn't even bothered to let her know she wouldn't be covering her shift.

To Jessica, her life was almost as completely over and she only wanted to be alone because it was what she was most of the time — alone, so she figured she may as well make the most of knowing what the sensation was like to be alone. She didn't want to be disturbed and so she wore a blue baseball cap to keep hidden away from the rest of the world.

Usually, she'd never be caught dead wearing anything on her head that would only leave her with matted hair but this time was different. She wanted to go in disguise and she knew no one would recognise her if she was wearing a hat. And as much as she loved to hibernate away in the room she currently called her bedroom while she and her parents stayed with the Fowler's while their own house was being re-built, there was only so much she could do in a bedroom that wasn't really her room.

"Hey, Jess!" Jessica heard a deep voice say her name.

_So much for the theory of going in disguise_, Jessica thought as she pulled down the visor of her cap and slowly turned around to see Jeremy making his way toward her.

"Jeremy, hi," she stuttered incoherently. "I didn't realise you were working today."

"Yeah, I wasn't supposed to. It was supposed to be my day off but I was called in to cover today's shift because coincidentally, your sister quit today."

"Really? I didn't know she quit."

"I figured she would have told you. I mean, you are twins. Aren't you supposed to know with that twin empathy thing?" Jeremy asked.

Jessica shrugged and made a point. "Yeah, that only really happens when the other is in danger."

"Like when you break a nail?" Jeremy asked in mock humour.

Jessica looked at him with seriousness. "Hey, a nail break is nothing to laugh about. It's serious stuff," she pouted, meaning business like it was no laughing matter.

"Okay," Jeremy said. "Well, anyway, we're flat out and Ally is desperate to fill Liz's position."

At the sound of knowing that there was a position available at HOJ, gave Jessica an idea and she immediately pepped up with mild glee. "Do you think I could apply for the job because inadvertently, I'm actually looking for a new job and this would be perfect considering I've worked here twice already? What do you think?"

_Plus it wouldn't help that I'd be working alongside an incredibly good looking guy who knows nothing about what I've been through, _Jessica smiled.

"Sure, I'll see what I can," Jeremy said, turning to the door way where a young couple who looked to be in their early twenties entered. "I better get back to work before someone complains."

When Jeremy returned to the front counter, Jessica couldn't help but watch him walk away. Maybe her luck was changing.

"Hey, who's the hottie?" Taylor asked as she slipped into the seat opposite Jessica. Jessica came back to reality and saw Taylor sitting on the other side of her, wondering how long she had been there for. "Oh, hey Taylor, I didn't see you come in."

"Well of course you wouldn't. Not when you've been practically drooling over the cute guy behind the counter," Taylor replied with a sheepish grin. "So, who is he?"

"Jeremy. His name is Jeremy. And I wasn't drooling."

"Well, whatever you were doing, I'm glad you still know how to discover a cute guy right under your nose because he is seriously hot," Taylor made out and fanned herself with her hand. "How'd you meet him? He obviously doesn't go to SVH because I'd _definitely_ remember him if he did. You don't just forget a guy as hot as he is."

Jessica looked across at her friend. "We met here when I covered Liz's shift so she could go to that concert you went to. He goes to Big Mesa and I think I might get to see him more often too."

"Really, how?" Taylor asked with eagerness, folding her arms on the table. She loved to delve into her friends' personal lives.

"I'm going to apply for a job here because since I was fired from my job at Healthy, I need a job," she explained.

"But doesn't Liz work here?"

"Not anymore. Apparently she quit today. That's the position I'd be filling."

"Well, that's a coincidence, I guess." Taylor shrugged, running her hands through her hair. "Do you like Jeremy?"

"I don't know…I mean he's cute but as for right now, we're just friends," Jessica clarified.

"Jessica," Jeremy said with a smile as he walked back towards her. "I talked to Ally, the owner's daughter and she said she'd be more than willing to give you a chance if you can work a trial shift tomorrow morning."

"Absolutely, I'll do it," Jessica blurted out in a rush of excitement, getting the eye from both Jeremy and Taylor who stared back at her in shock. "I mean, yeah, I can do it. I haven't got anything else on my schedule."

There was no denying that. Jessica's schedule had been wiped clean since the start of the school year began when her social life was sent a disturbance in the form of Cyclone Melissa.

"Great! So you should get here a little after opening and I'll let Ally know," Jeremy said. He glanced over to other side of the table and saw Taylor, prompting Jessica to intercept.

"Oh, right. Jeremy, Taylor. Taylor, Jeremy," Jessica introduced.

"Hi," he greeted Taylor before turning his attention back to Jessica. "There was one other thing I wanted to ask you."

"OK, shoot," Jessica replied cagily, looking over to Taylor who shrugged and gazed towards Jeremy, perceptibly fervent to know as well.

"My friend is having this party tomorrow night that I'm going to —"

"Is this a party in Big Mesa?" Taylor cut in.

Jeremy looked at her in awe, not knowing what to say. "Uh, yeah, it is. It's my friend Stan's party. Are you going?"

"Yeah, I am actually. My boyfriend knows some of the guys on your school's football team. They went to El Carro together and so they're using the party as a way to catch up so I'm going too," Taylor explained.

"Oh, right," Jeremy continued. "So anyway, Jess, I was wondering if you'd like to go with me."

"I don't know…" Jessica pondered, coiling a strand of hair around her finger. She wasn't completely sure she was ready to attend another party just yet. Not after everything that had already happened to her at the beginning of the school year. She just wanted to go on and pretend that everything was okay. On the other hand, she also wanted to be given a chance to get to know Jeremy a lot better — going to a Big Mesa party would be idealistic considering it was a Big Mesa party, not a Sweet Valley party.

No one knew who she was, persisting a chance to call her a slut and that was what she was looking for. Then again, if Josh was going than who was to say that the rest of his jock friends wouldn't be there? Maybe she should just steer clear of the party altogether. That way she wouldn't be putting herself in the direct line of fire.

"Okay then, I'll go." Strangely enough, she found herself accepting Jeremy's offer. Was that it was too good of an opportunity to pass up? And she knew she couldn't hide away forever and let those hatred words, people had been calling her, get to her anymore.

After Jeremy and Jessica exchanged addresses, he went back to work. Taylor looked up from the magazine Jessica had been reading moments before she was interrupted, showing one of her wily smiles as she gazed towards Jeremy and watched him walk away.

"Nice ass," she said with that same smile.

"Don't you have a boyfriend?" Jessica asked.

"Yeah, and my boyfriend would appreciate good taste," Taylor remarked with a wide grin. "Besides, that wasn't for me. It was for you."

"Oh, really?"

"Uh-huh. You see, I need to suss him out as your potential boyfriend."

"What boyfriend? We're just —"

"Friends, yeah, so you said, despite the fact that he asked you out," Taylor cut her off. "So as I was saying, I need to fulfil my requirements to being a friend and you have my approval —"

"Not that you really have a reason to endorse my personal life or lack of," Jessica added, rolling her eyes.

"Nonsense," Taylor sounded, tutting her finger at Jessica. "Anyway, you've definitely got great taste in guys because Jeremy is hot. He's got the whole package going on with his incredibly good looks, his dark scruffy hair, and gorgeous smile and not to mention his adorable looking ass. He's like a cross between Tom Welling and Jensen Ackles who, by the way, is one hell of a hot demon hunter so if I was you I'd take your chance while you still can." She winked at Jessica with yet another broad grin.

"Well, thanks for the lesson in celebrity look a-likes," Jessica replied in a sarcastic tone. "I would never have known otherwise."

"You're welcome."

"And I'm glad you've graciously approved of him but as I said, we're just friends," Jessica added.

"Uh, what planet are you on? He asked you out."

"To a party," Jessica mildly infused. "I hardly call a party a date."

"Whatever," Taylor dismissed. "He obviously likes you and if I know my Jessica Wakefield which I do then I'd say that you like him too and you're just playing it coy because of what happened with Will. Would I be correct?" Jessica was going to protest but Taylor went on to say. "You can't say I'm not right because I know I am. I think you're forgetting who you're talking to Jess."

"Alright, I do like him," Jessica bashfully submitted. "I just don't want to act on what I'm feeling until I'm positive that he likes me. I refuse to go through the past all over again. I thought Will liked me and it turned out he had a demented girlfriend. Who knows, maybe Jeremy has a girlfriend like Melissa. I seem to have a knack at being a target to boys with girlfriends."

"Jess, you couldn't have known that Will had a girlfriend and that she'd go about determined to make your life a living hell. It wasn't your fault and fortunately for you, you're not the one who's a blood relation to the girl," Taylor said, pulling at a speck of lint from her cropped jacket. "But I don't think Jeremy has a girlfriend."

"You'd never know." Jessica dipped down and put her head into her hands in utter assurance.

Taylor glanced over to Jeremy and caught him sneaking a peek at Jessica before turning his attention to the customers who'd line up at the counter to have their order taken. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, Jess. McHottie is like totally checking you out. He's so cute. I think you'd look pretty cute together."

Jessica lifted her head and stared at her friend in mock horror.

"Jeez, thanks for update but do you have to refer him to something like out of _Grey's Anatomy _and the lingo they use?"

"Yeah, bad habit, sorry," Taylor smirked. "But if you don't like McHottie than how about McDreamy? I'm sure you've already dreamt about him. We can't really dub him McSteamy yet because we don't know if he even is steamy unless of course you already know the answer to that and you've been reluctant to fill me in, and then in which case, I should really know so I can change his —"

Jessica shook her head, putting an end to her friends' rant. Jessica was none the more familiar with Taylor's constant rants. She always got so excited to hear of the boys or dates her friends had crushes on. It was like the girl was hyped up on caffeine.

"Tay, you're rambling — _again_. And as for the nickname, we'll put that to a rest with McHottie, if you'd like."

"Fine then," Taylor granted irksomely. She rose from the booth so she could make her way over to purchase herself a coffee. "I'm going to go get myself a latte."

"Right, okay then Taylor," Jessica noted. "Just make it a decaf. You really don't need anymore caffeine than what you're already on."

Taylor turned around swiftly and narrowed her eyes like she had just been insulted. "I knew that. Oh, and our little conversation? Yeah, it's far from being over," she whispered before she made her way to the service counter.

Taylor was right. Jessica did like Jeremy and she hoped that their friendship would grow into something more but as of right now; she was looking forward to gaining a friendship in him. Something she was going to try and hold onto for as long as she could without getting hurt in the process.

* * *

"We're going to have a blast tonight," Taylor screeched loudly to Josh so she could be heard over the heavy sensation of the sound system that was currently blaring out the song 'Don't Stop the Music' by Rihanna.

"I know I will." Josh looked to Taylor and grinned as he pulled her closer towards him and tightened his grip as he wrapped his arm firmly around his girlfriend's waist.

Together they walked into the house on Saturday night and found that every senior who went to Big Mesa must have somehow been invited to the party plus half the attending senior class of Sweet Valley.

"Wow!" Taylor exclaimed, glancing into the living room as she stepped inside the house and into the foyer of the house. "It's like every senior is here."

And as soon as Taylor said those words, she soon regretted them like they became a figure of speech because Ashley stumbled into the foyer in a half drunken state of mind, carrying a red plastic cup in her hand that was perceptibly filled with some form of alcohol.

"Josh," she slurred blithely, obviously blinded by Josh because she paid no attention to Taylor who was standing beside him. "Long time no see. Maybe we should catch up and pick up where we left off…you know, before we were interrupted by—"

"When you were interrupted by his girlfriend," Taylor added contemptibly. Ashley looked to Taylor with a disapproving smile as she swirled her plastic cup around in her hand.

"Uh…I don't think so Ashley." Josh wrapped his arm around Taylor's waist slightly tighter in an affectionate way to indicate to Ashley how _in_ to Taylor he really was. Taylor turned inwards to him and leaned in closer, placing her hand on his chest. She wanted to make it clear enough to this girl that she was with Josh. It was her way at getting her revenge on the girl who also took part in helping to destroy her relationship with Josh the first time around.

"Why don't you go find some other random boyfriend to hook up with? You're pretty good at that," Taylor conceded.

Ashley took a swig of her drink, pushed her ruby hair over her head with her hand so that it was a matted mess and then stalked outside, brushing past Taylor as she did so while shooting unearthly daggers into her back.

Once she was out of eye shot, Josh turned to Taylor and asked, "You OK?"

Taylor raised her eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because I know that you're trying to put what happened behind you so that we can move on. It can't be easy to have to see her again."

Taylor shook her head. "No it's not, but I'm fine. Really, I am. I'm not going to let one skank get to me. I'm better than that." Taylor ran her fingers up and down his chest, bringing him closer to her as she bit her bottom lip and produced a sly smile. "Besides, I know I can trust you now. You definitely wouldn't be stupid enough to do something and risk losing me again."

Josh crooked his head down to Taylor's and nuzzled his nose against hers and whispered in a husky voice. "I'm not going to make the same mistake twice."

They were immediately snapped out of their cosy little love fest when they heard their names called by someone behind them.

Taylor pulled back and whipped her head around in direction of the voice where she found Jessica walking in with Jeremy beside her, followed by Conner….and Elizabeth who was walking right next to him. Taylor was startled. She never thought she'd see Conner here at the party, let alone see him show up with Elizabeth. It wasn't that she was jealous; it was that the thought of Conner and Liz had never really popped into her mind — until now, despite the fact that she had already seen them kiss.

"Hey!" Taylor said back with a small smile spreading across her face as she watched the four of them make their way into the living room where everyone else seemed to be going.

One thing was for certain, this party was going to be very interesting.

_I wanna take you away  
Lets escape into the music  
DJ let it play  
I just can't refuse it  
Like the way you do this  
Keep on rockin to it  
Please don't stop the  
Please don't stop the music  
_


	19. On My Own

**A/N: **After a few months hiatus, I've finally managed to update again. I've had so many storylines to include in the story but I just wasn't sure how to write the ideas I had planned in my head. This chapter was extremely hard for me to write because I had to get myself back to the point of writing this story after a while. I'm still not completely sure with it, especially the beginning which I wrote re-wrote three times to get it the way I saw it in my head. By the end, I think this is the best version I wrote and so I'll let you be the judge. The song used in this chapter is Sweet About Me by Gabriella Cilmi.

**New Beginnings**

**Chapter Nineteen**

_ooh watching me, hanging by a string this time  
oh easily the climax of a perfect life.  
ooh watching me, hanging by a string this time.  
oh easily, my smiles worth a hundred lies.  
_

Thirty minutes later, Taylor swayed along to the music as she stood with Josh and chatted to a bunch of his football buddies she didn't know, his arms tightened protectively on her waist. Taylor tried taking an interest in her boyfriend and his friends but she had more important things on her mind like scanning the crowd for Conner and Elizabeth or Elizabeth and Conner as she kept repeating over and over in her head. What was wrong with her tonight? It was a raging party and Taylor usually lived for parties, but not tonight she wasn't.

Tonight, she couldn't care less about the party she was at. It wouldn't matter whether she was here, at the beach or at home in front of the TV watching her favourite guilty pleasure she loved to tune into, she just wasn't in the mood to party. And she knew she should be having fun with her boyfriend but she couldn't shake the disturbing image of Conner and Elizabeth from her mind and now it was beginning to bother her and her entire reason for being there.

"Uh, I think I'm going to get a drink," Taylor said at last. Maybe a drink would help to put her mind at ease and make her forget all about Conner.

"Okay then. Do you want me to come with?" Josh asked as his arms dropped from around Taylor's waist.

Taylor shook her head. "No. Do you want me to get you something?"

"Just get me whatever you're getting for yourself."

"OK." Taylor made her way through the crowd that formed throughout the living room to get to the kitchen where she assumed the drinks were.

Grabbing two red cups from the bag holder, she took hold of the ladle and spooned the flavoured punch, no doubt mixed with some form of alcoholic beverage, into one cup and then did the same with the other cup.

"You thirsty too?"

Taylor crooked her neck around and saw Elizabeth making her way into the kitchen.

"Hi," she said softly. She replaced the ladle back into the punch bowl and took a swig of her drink. "If you're looking for a non-alcoholic drink, I don't think you'll find one here. You're best bet will be when you leave the party."

"Yeah, I figured." Elizabeth grabbed herself a cup.

"I hope you like tequila." Taylor swallowed another mouthful, ready to walk out of the kitchen.

"So you and Josh. I take it, you're back on now?" Elizabeth asked, prompting Taylor to back track.

"Pretty much, we're gonna give it another shot. But I could say the same about you and Conner. Is there anything to report on that front?" Taylor asked. And if she was being truthful, she really did want to know what was happening between the two of them. That is, if there was something to talk about.

Elizabeth shrugged while she used the ladle to pour the punch into her cup.

"I don't know. I guess I'm not really sure what's going on there. We have fun together but I don't know if it's going to go anywhere. I like him but he's not at all like the type of guy I'd usually go for."

Taylor wasn't sure what to say. Okay so she wanted hear about their friendship but she didn't expect to have her go into an actual conversation with her. They had never really hung out together nor had they talked one on one before. It wasn't that Taylor didn't like Liz but the school social cliques were a clear factor towards the reason.

She didn't want to listen but she didn't want to come across as someone who only cared about herself. She had to say something even if it was one word.

"Yeah, didn't you go out with Todd Wilkins last year?" Taylor blurted out before realising how she could have come across as sounding rude for stating a comment like that. "No offence to Todd Wilkins," she added, a smile appearing on Elizabeth's face.

"Yeah, we dated. For quite some time too but I think that's the problem. I was in one relationship for mostly the entire year with one guy. Maybe now I'm looking for something different in my life. To you know; spice up my life a little bit. Re-invent myself. I don't know if I'm making any sense…" Elizabeth pulled at a loose thread on her faded blue jeans as if she was regretting what she said.

"Actually I know where you mean," Taylor assured her. "So you think Conner can help shake up your life?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Maybe, I don't know. I guess I'll find out."

"Yeah, I guess you will." It was all Taylor could think of to say.

As the kitchen became a little less quieter with kids choosing to come in for a refill, Taylor and Elizabeth each parted ways, glad to have some space between them although Taylor was sure their chat contributed nothing to what she was hoping for, she watched Elizabeth re-join Conner over on the side and pick up their previous session filled with laughter.

Taylor made her way back to Josh where he was talking to a bunch random people she didn't know. She handed him her drink and showed her some appreciation with a kiss on the cheek.

"My girlfriend, Taylor, everyone," he introduced.

"Hi," she said back when they acknowledged her presence. "Excuse me guys but I need to steal Josh away from you for a while. You can have him back later. I promise." Taylor took Josh's hand in hers as he pulled her towards him.

Josh touched her chin, tilting her head upwards so he could see her face and kissed the tip of her nose. "So, baby," he responded, his voice all husky like when the group of people moved away. "What can I do you for?"

Taylor manoeuvred into Josh's arms and looked around the side of him, her eyes immediately locking onto Conner and Elizabeth and the way he leaned into her, his arm wrapped around her and resting on her left hip. Why was it that, of all the people at the party, she could still manage to find the two of them instantly? She was beginning to think she was insane or a stalker and she couldn't bear it any longer. Something drastic had to be done.

"Just you," she said, as convincing as she could be under the circumstances. She leaned up towards his mouth and softly kissed him. "I was thinking we could go…somewhere else where we can be by ourselves." She hinted when he didn't seem to understand what she was getting at. She gnawed on her bottom lip nervously, keeping her eye contact on only Josh as she pretended she and Josh were the only ones in the room. "I'm ready, Josh." She whispered in his ear, stressing the word _ready_.

Josh gulped, pulling back a little to look into her eyes, his own slightly widened.

He was obviously not expecting this from his girlfriend who was previously hell bent on waiting for the right moment. What had suddenly changed?

"Are you…I mean, are you really sure?" He stressed getting the words to come out clearly to form a consistent sentence.

She nodded her head. He was acting really strange. She figured he would be happy to hear she was ready for this. Wasn't this what he was waiting for? Now was his chance and he was actually asking her if she was sure. "Um, we don't have…I mean we can…if you don't want to." She nervously stumbled over her words which she normally didn't do.

"That's not it. I'm just surprised, that's all," he explained. Not to mention that he was extremely nervous. Unlike most of the girls he knew at school, he knew this was a big deal for her and he didn't think he deserved it. After everything that happened, he wasn't good enough for her. He knew that. No one was, not even Conner who was as bad as he was. And that was what was worrying him the most—that she would regret it; regret him—being with him for her first time. He tried to push his thoughts to the back of his mind and not think about it. "Let's go."

Josh led her through the room to the staircase to reach upstairs as Taylor followed behind him but not before she stole one final peek in Conner's direction. And just at that moment, Conner opted to look over and see her follow Josh up the stairs.

* * *

Pulling her into an empty bedroom on the left, Taylor shut the door behind her and attached herself to Josh's lips, grabbing hold of the side of his face and kissing him more intently. Josh pushed himself around her so that he was in charge and led her to the bed in front of them. He slowly pushed her down onto the bed and proceeded on top of her, his hands cupping the sides of her face and kissed her more passionately as she felt his tongue enter her mouth, exploring her mouth and tongue tentatively.

She lifted her hands up underneath his t-shirt and rubbed them up and down along his back, his thumb and fore finger slowly circling her stomach through the silk camisole top she was wearing. So caught up in the mood, forgetting about all her worries suddenly consuming her, her hand made its way to the belt buckle on his jeans as she tried to unbuckle it, not realising that Josh's searing kisses had ceased to exist. She hesitated when she noticed he was staring at her.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Are you sure? I mean, are you really sure you want to do this?" he asked for the second time, climbing up off her and sitting on the edge of the bed with a serious look in his eyes.

She nodded her head, moving closer to him and folding her legs up underneath her, unsure as to where this was going. "Yes," she murmured to him, her warm breath heaving down onto the back of his neck.

He shook his head. "Are you sure it's because you want to and not because you feel you should be doing because I would never pressure you into doing something you're not ready to do," he said insecurely. He surprised himself with his own words. He hadn't expected to say that. What happened to cocky, confident, player Josh Radinski who would never bother asking these types of questions? And the answer was Taylor Morris.

She tilted her head to one side. "What do you mean? Of course I want it to be with you." He was being so weird all of a sudden. Had he realised she was looking at Conner the entire time they had been at the party?

She climbed onto his lap to place a soft kiss on his lips. "I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise," she said, looking into his deep blue eyes.

Josh took a deep breath. "Or maybe you suggested it because you wanted to get your mind off something—or someone else who's on your mind," he said honestly.

Taylor searched his eyes, looking for a clue as to what he was talking about, before it dawned on her and made sense of everything. Okay, so he had clearly figured it out. He figured her out. Now he was making sense. Had he noticed when her eyes peered over towards Conner? She felt like such an idiot. Her own boyfriend caught her checking out another guy.

She couldn't continue lying to him and herself any longer, especially when he clearly knew about her obsession of Conner. It wasn't worth it. She couldn't keep up a lie that wasn't going anywhere.

"I'm so sorry, Josh," she said, swinging herself off his lap, unable to look him in the eyes at the remorse she was feeling.

"It's okay," Josh said. His voice was gentle which made Taylor feel even guiltier for stringing Josh along when deep down, she knew her heart wasn't in it for the long haul and in the same place as it was a year ago. She thought she could try again but she didn't know who she was kidding. Summer happened and everything changed—she changed. She was a fool to think she could go backward but maybe it was well worth it in the end. At least this way, she and Josh could signal the end of their relationship nicely rather than in a regrettable way she never wanted to experience again.

"I just…" she paused. She couldn't think of anything to say. Her words had turned into a big ball of goo. At this point, her usually quick-tongue came up with nothing. Josh pulled her back, wrapping his arm around her in an attempt to console her so that she would turn around to face him.

"Taylor, it's okay. I'm not mad." She blinked at him.

"You're not?" she asked, her voice catching. How was that possible?

"Well, maybe a little," he admitted with a wry smile. Taylor gave a shaky laugh, hating that her eyes were filling with tears and when Josh opened his arms to her, she stepped into them. He rubbed her back soothingly as she breathed in his musty scented cologne for what she assumed would be the last time.

"I am so sorry, Josh," she said into his chest when she buried her face into his chest. She felt a compelling desire to explain herself. "I…didn't expect to have this happen. I just thought we could give us another go knowing that we left the past in the past. It was behind us and we could start again because I do like you."

"But that's just it. You did like me, as in past tense. I guess too much has happened between us to go back to the way we once were. I should have seen it coming," Josh replied, his voice vibrating against Taylor's cheek.

"What? That I would be thinking of some other guy when I have a boyfriend? I'm sure you did." Taylor stifled a giggle.

He cupped his hand under her chin so that she was looking up at him.

"No that you would fall for Conner."

"At least we're ending on better terms this time," Taylor collected herself.

"Yeah, being beaten out to another guy are always fun times."

Taylor pulled back and gave him a smug grin. "But this time I'm not shouting curse words at you."

Josh crooked his head down to her level. "Or throwing a phone at my head, always a good sign," he added, enduring a laugh and a light smack from Taylor.

"But we can laugh about it now."

"Maybe its better the way our relationship is ending now before we got too serious to realise our hearts aren't really in it for the right reasons. I don't blame you. You can't switch off from liking someone however hard you try to do so," Josh continued. There was silence, something Taylor normally would dread but this time, she held onto the silence and onto Josh in one final hug between friends or someone she hoped would be her friend.

Taylor lifted her head and wiped away at her tears. "I will miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too. You were the first girl I ever really loved and were in a relationship with."

Taylor stood up from Josh's lap, pulling up the thin straps of her silk camisole onto her shoulders.

"I guess I'll go now," Taylor said, braving a smile as best as she could.

"Do you need a ride home?" Josh asked her kindly. He didn't want to hold a grudge against something neither one had control over. "I don't mind taking you home."

Taylor shook her head, staring down at the carpet floor. "No, its okay. I just feel like being on my own for a while anyway."

"Are you sure?"

Taylor brought herself tighter together, hugging herself. "Yeah, I'll be fine." She turned around, opening the door but warped her head back to Josh, her face saying it all. "Do you think we will ever be friends?" Her voice came out in barely a whisper.

Josh looked back to her, baring that same facial expression as she had and deprecatingly smiled. "I hope so." He spoke his last words to Taylor and then watched her walk away from him. She was now out of his life for good. He was single again and unlike the last time he was a free man, he wasn't sure whether he liked it or not but he guessed he would find out soon enough.

* * *

"I love this song!" Elizabeth exclaimed when she heard 'Sneaker night' by Vanessa Hudgens boom through the stereo speaker box.

Conner simply smiled at Elizabeth's music statement, unsure as to what he should say but Conner could only think of Taylor and what she and Josh were doing upstairs. He could imagine what was going on up there that his thoughts were beginning to irritate him until he saw Taylor make her way down the stairs minus Josh as she walked through the room, ignoring those faces gazing at her, until she made it to the door to leave.

Conner kept his gaze on the stair case until he spotted Josh bounding down the steps and seizing the opportunity, he cut Elizabeth loose and stormed towards Josh before he could go any farther.

Not caring who was around him to watch, he grabbed Josh by the collar of his t-shirt, demanding to know what made Taylor walk out the way she did.

"Hey, get your hands off me," Josh stipulated. He pulled away from Conner, splaying his hands in the air. He didn't like the fact that he was caught by the t-shirt in front of his football friends at a party. "What's your problem, dude?"

"My problem is you and your need to hurt Taylor. Does it make you feel powerful to see Taylor's heart break over you?"

"It's got nothing to do with you but Taylor and I broke up," Josh growled through gritted teeth, stepping closer, ready to fight this battle. There was no way he was going to allow Conner to bully him into a fight without fighting back harder. It just wasn't possible. "She chose you, okay. You win. You got the girl." Josh looked over Conner shoulder and saw Elizabeth standing in the background with curiosity. "But I guess it don't matter anymore, huh?" Josh narrowed his eyes. "I don't need this. I'm out of here." Josh turned to head in the opposite direction but turned back around and seethed, "Hell with it! I stand nothing to lose anymore." Before he knew it, his hand clenched into the shape of a fist and connected with Conner's eye, causing him to lose balance and tumble to the ground. A crowd of people, attending the party, began to form a circle around them at the first show of a fight erupting between two feuding individuals.

Without stopping to think of his actions, Conner got up gradually and grabbed Josh by his collar, when he tried to walk away after Conner stumbled to the floor, signalling triumphant and the end of a fight. "Afraid to fight, Josh?" Conner asked gallingly as his fist collided with Josh's jaw line, blood beginning to surge out and run down the side of his mouth.

Josh wiped away at his wound with his hand. "No, never," he snarled back. He refused to back down from a fight he would win. He shoved Conner who then shoved him back and widening distance between the two of them; he swung his arm around in the air and punched Conner square in the eye for the second time that night. He needed to stick it to Conner. He had already lost one good thing he had going for him tonight to Conner. He wasn't prepared to make it a habit.

However neither was Conner prepared to back down who fired back with another blow, this time to Josh's right eye. Both boys continued to fight each other, refusing to give in as they scored punch after punch while the crowd did nothing to stop them but chant the word fight.

It wasn't until Jeremy and the guy whose house they were at intervened in an effort to bring the fight to a closing halt.

Josh freed himself from his friend and moved closer towards Conner, who was still effortlessly being pulled back by Jeremy.

"Nice try, McDermott. You almost had me there," he smirked coldly like he knew he was getting under his skin and pushing all his right buttons to get to him. "Way to be defeated."

Scowling was all that Conner could do to bite back when Josh walked away into another room of the house as Jeremy tightened his hold of him to keep him from re-enacting the fight scene.

"Let him go, dude. He's not worth it." Jeremy offered words of advice. "What the hell happened back there?"

"Believe me, you don't want to know." Conner shook his head. He didn't even know what happened. At the thought of Taylor being hurt somehow, he merely snapped for some unknown reason.

He looked around, searching for Elizabeth's shoulder length blonde hair. "Where's Liz?" he asked Jessica when she briskly strolled towards them both.

"I think she said something about going outside to get some fresh air." She looked Conner clear in the face to get her point across. "And that she wants to be alone."

He stepped forward but Jeremy stopped him. "Maybe you should put something on your eye before you talk to her," he told him.

"No I'm fine," he said before he stepped out into the cool night air.

* * *

"Jess told me I'd find you out here." Conner made his way towards Elizabeth who was sitting on the swing chair on the porch at the front of the house.

Elizabeth looked up at Conner and smiled sardonically. "Yeah, I needed to get some air after I saw you beat the hell out of Taylor's boyfriend."

"Ex-boyfriend, actually, Josh informed me that they broke up," Conner pointed out. "And he beat the hell out of me—hence the black eye."

Elizabeth grimaced, scrunching up her nose and looking at his eye. "Does it hurt?"

Conner shook his head. "Not really. I'm used to it. That's just what you get when you try to interfere in someone else's relationship. I probably should learn my lesson and stay away from trouble. You should see the other guy."

"I did. There's barely a scratch on him."

"Oh, but there is. I soccer punched him in the mouth."

Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Yeah, I saw," she said timidly. She looked down at the ground, unable to face the ambiguity as to where this conversation was going. "Why did you do it?"

Conner let out a sigh. "I don't know," he said. "I saw Josh looking smug when he came down the stairs from doing god knows what with god knows who and I acted on impulse. I couldn't help myself."

"Do you like her?" Elizabeth found the need to ask for her own insecurities.

"Pardon?"

"Taylor? You like her, don't you?" she asked again, even though she knew she didn't even have to ask. His face said it when she mentioned her name. "Confession time," she began. "I know you saw Taylor go upstairs with Josh because I was watching you.

I've been watching you gape at her the whole time we've been here." She was unable to ignore the obvious. It was virtually staring her to death in the face that she couldn't deny it any longer as much as she would have liked to try.

Conner was baffled. Was it that obvious that he had a thing for Taylor? He figured he was being discreet and all.

"And if we're being truthful here, Taylor was watching you too. She likes you, Conner. You would have to be a blind idiot to not know that you both like each other." She looked up and stared into his eyes. "So go get her before it's too late. Something tells me you'll find her at the beach sitting alone in the sand."

"How do you know that?"

Elizabeth bobbed her head. "Everyone who knows Taylor knows where she'll be when she wants to be alone to think."

Elizabeth reached over and placed a hand on his leg to keep it from bouncing up and down. Filled with pessimism, he hadn't even known he was doing it.

Conner quickly halted every thought he was thinking. _Might as well tell her now, _he thought. She seemed to work him out on her own anyway. The girl was freaking mind reader. Conner moved his focus away from her blue-green eyes to the row of houses on the opposite side of the street.

"You really mean that?"

"Yes." She broke out into a small smile. "It's okay. I'm okay. You can't help who you like."

Her eyes twinkled as she pulled her legs up towards her and wrapped her arms around them.

Conner allowed himself to meet her gaze again and as he stared back at her, her felt a calming rush of relief. He never imagined her to be this cool and collected upon hearing or in this case realising that the guy she liked happened to thinking of another girl. She didn't imagine herself to react this composed when she discovered Conner liked someone else. Then again, she did see it coming.

"So what are you waiting for?" Elizabeth persisted. "Go get her."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" he asked.

Elizabeth remained tight lipped. "Maybe. Maybe not. I'll guess you never know. Now go."

And as Conner disappeared down the sidewalk towards his car, Elizabeth couldn't help but feeling sorry for herself. Okay, so she helped two people find each other but giving up someone you were beginning to fall for was never easy and right now, all she wanted to do was to go home and open a tub of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, knowing that ice cream mends everything and has a specialty for fixing broken hearts.


	20. Just Friends

**A/N:** I had fun writing this chapter because I'm getting to the fun stuff between Conner and Taylor. They're beginning to be one of my newly favourite make believe couples to write about. I just love writing them together. And if you've got any suggestions to a title for the sequel I've planned then let me know. It begins with a flashback a month or so earlier before Conner leaves for rehab, where he and Taylor will decide to part ways while Conner gets the help he needs. The song Taylor claims to have written when she's on the beach is Invisible by Taylor Swift. I think she's singing about somebody. Enjoy! :)

**New Beginnings**

**Chapter Twenty**

Conner stared at the dim reflection of the moon light shimmering off the water, sending a flicker of glitter along the top of the water's surface.

And as he stepped onto the cold, soft sand, grains of sand falling between his bare toes, did he finally spot her.

Taylor was sitting down on the sand with her back to him as she stared out to sea. Conner took a moment to admire her lean silhouette. She was wearing a pair of slim-fitting long, black shorts and a chocolate pink coloured silk camisole top. Conner could practically feel the breezy material on his fingertips. He had to touch her.

As he neared closer to her, he could vaguely hear her reticent voice echoing softly into the night air. Who was she talking to? Was she on the phone to someone? Conner didn't dare want to disturb her if she was busy. But as he inched a little closer towards her, he realised that she was singing a song, the lyrics coming natural to her as she sung word for word.

_And I just wanna show you  
She don't even know you  
She's never gonna love you like I want to  
You just see right through me but if you only knew me  
We could be a beautiful miracle unbelievable instead of just invisible._

_There's a fire inside of you that can't help but shine through  
She's never gonna see the light  
No matter what you do  
And all I think about is how to make you think of me  
And everything that we could be._

Standing there, his feet being pulled pushed deeper into the sand, Conner was in awe of her implausible harmonics as she hit all the right notes. It was as if she had been singing all her life. She sung the lyrics with beautiful grace as if she wasn't just singing the words belonging to a simple song but she was singing a song that actually meant something to her and depicting how she felt right now.

_Like shadows in a faded light  
Oh we're Invisible  
I just wanna look in your eyes and make you realize._

When Taylor sung her final note, she stopped, feeling an unexpected presence on her like someone was watching her which puzzled her. Why would anyone want to watch her? She hated to think someone had heard her singing. No one had ever heard her sing before. It wasn't that she didn't think she could sing. She just wasn't used to having an audience. Singing to a crowd of people wasn't something she liked to do. She was never going to be that person who stood on stage serenading an audience with their music and lyrics.

Instead, she preferred to sing when she was alone by herself to allow only her own ears and possibly her family's pet cockier spaniel named Charlie to listen to her sing. It was one thing to sing alone to herself but to sing to a crowd of people who could literally make or break you was something Taylor didn't want to think about. Some might call it stage fright but she didn't care because it was enough for Taylor to realise she didn't belong on a stage and risk embarrassing herself when the crowd aimed their highly amusing laughs towards her like she was nothing more than a big joke.

Usually Taylor would merely sing when no one was around but occasionally she liked to go to a place that provided awesome sound acoustics so she could take full advantage to reach the heights of her voice and what it can sing. Though the beach didn't provide too much of an acoustic vibe, Taylor had always loved the beach especially at night when there was no body there, enabling Taylor to hear her thoughts as she sat by herself. And sometimes when she sung, she often felt as if her voice carried throughout the air surrounding her.

Sitting still in the sand, she turned her head to the side, her long blonde hair swinging from side to side and saw Conner creeping slowly towards her.

"Don't stop on account of me," he said, his eyes looking into hers. "You've got a great voice."

Taylor's cheeks reddened slightly. No one had ever said that to her before. Then again, this was the first time someone had heard her sing.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, ignoring his comment before she asked him another seemingly appropriate question. "Were you spying on me?"

He plopped himself down into the sand beside her. "I was actually looking for you. And no, I wasn't purposely spying on you. But I'm glad I did because you've got an amazing voice. Sing something else for me."

Taylor shook her head, digging her hands into the sand. "I don't think so. I'm not that good. It was just something I've had in my head for a while," she murmured, choosing to keep her eyes on the sand rather than look at Conner. "I don't think I can even remember what I sung. Why were you looking for me? Shouldn't you be at the party?"

"Yeah, well, after you left, I had a sudden urge to get the hell out of there," he replied with a small grin. Taylor swore she could feel her heart beat a little bit faster when he leaned in towards her, pressing his cheek against hers. Her skin was so soft and the scent of her hair whipping around him in the fresh night air made him anxious with expectation. He felt her body weaken with every inch he moved closer towards her. He couldn't reject the intensity he felt for Taylor any longer. The tips of his fingers gently brushed against the smoothness of her hand, sending jolts of electricity rush through his whole entire body in a good way.

Conner's hand slid to the small of her back, brushing strands of her hair behind her ear as he pulled her into him and looked into her twinkling aquamarine eyes.

The touch of his fingertips was enough to make her heart melt and she didn't put up a fight when he pulled her face towards him, even though she knew her brain was sending her a message telling her otherwise.

"I want you," he whispered gruffly, his breath felt warm and tingly on her skin as their lips fused together like it was meant to be and at that moment, everything Taylor remembered about Conner and Elizabeth was completely erased from her thoughts, never to return again.

* * *

"Girl, you are in so much trouble!" Annie exclaimed when she stopped at Taylor's locker.

Taylor peered over the top of her locker door, raising her eyebrow. "What did I do?"

Annie pouted, moving her hands to her hips and leaning into Taylor. "I'm talking about breaking it off with Josh." She looked around her. "Everyone's talking about it."

"Everyone?" Taylor asked oddly, although she wasn't sure why she was so surprised. It wasn't unusual to hear Josh telling everyone he knew that he was single again. She expected him to be back to his usual womanizing ways whether he admitted his love for her a few days ago or not. She just wished he was a little more circumspect towards the end of their relationship, not caring who chose to mark an end to the relationship in the first place.

"Okay, so Matt is bragging about how Josh is his wing man again." Annie grinned. "But my point is, after that text message you sent me saying how you kissed a boy you like and then didn't bother to go into detail, I got suspicious. So, care to fill me in on your Friday night escapade."

Taylor grinned. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I was finishing off an assignment and then decided to have an easy rest of the weekend by catching up on the shows I tivoed during the week."

"Uh-huh and who really watches TV on the television now?" She entwined her fingers together. "So tell me, does this guy have a name?" she asked eagerly.

Taylor stifled a laugh, tilting her head sideways. "Since when did you become excited to hear about my love life?"

Annie tossed her blonde mane of hair over shoulder with her hand. "I guess it began when I became a poor destitute to discovering my own love life, so I'm living vigorously through you. So who is he?"

"Hey, Taylor," Conner greeted her when he reached Taylor. "Can I walk you to homeroom?"

Taylor curved her head towards Conner, giving him a smile. "Sure," she said. "We're going to the same room anyway. Just let me grab the books I need."

Annie expectantly waited by the side wearing a grim smile as if she was waiting for an introduction.

Annie nudged Taylor like she was saying is this the guy. C'mon and introduce me.

"Oh, right," she conceded. "Annie, this is Conner. Conner, Annie, my best friend."

She motioned with her hands.

"Hi," Annie replied.

"Hey," Conner replied in his typical laid-back manner.

The first warning bell rang throughout the halls of the school, signalling the cease of all chatter from freshmen and sophomores as they hurriedly rushed down the hallway towards their designated homeroom classes. It was astounding to watch how students whom weren't used to the high school schedule could be so naïve as soon as they heard the first bell sound and think they had to rush to class quickly before they received a detention slip for being late to class that would eventually have an effect on their permanent records.

Though, juniors weren't as inexperienced as freshmen and sophomores, when the second bell rang, most of them whom weren't attached to a senior class mate began making their way to class while the senior class and the other half of the junior class dawdled through the hallways, choosing to find their way to class when the third and final bell lingers in the air.

Taylor piled the last of her books into her book bag and closed her locker door as the second bell left a resonance to echo across the school grounds.

"I'll see you at lunch." Taylor waved to her friend. She draped her bag over her shoulder and turned in step with Conner.

"No, I'll see you in English," Annie called out. "We'll talk then," she added. Taylor crooked her head around with a wry smile before Annie made off in the opposite direction.

There was no way Taylor knew she was going to get away with not spilling all to her Annie. She knew her best friend too well to know she wasn't going to get out of it.

And she couldn't wait or maybe that was more rhetorical than anything else.

* * *

"I still can't believe you didn't tell me about you and Conner yesterday," Annie wailed to Taylor as they walked to the cafeteria during the beginning of the lunch period. "I'm your best friend."

Taylor shook her head. "What's to tell? We're just friends."

"I'm sure you are," Annie smiled. She didn't need to elaborate. Her smile said all that she was thinking. She found it hard to believe that Conner would be_ just_ friends with somebody who was a girl. Instead, the term _friends with benefits_ came to her mind when she thought about Conner. She didn't exactly know Conner nor had she talked to him since school began and El Carro students merged into Sweet Valley High but she wasn't deaf.

She heard about what went down between him, Maria and Elizabeth and from what Jessica had told her, Conner was the type of guy to string along a girl for the fun of it with all the benefits of having a girlfriend but once the word exclusive was dropped, he'd ditch the girl and move onto someone else. Annie knew Taylor hadn't been at school when the mess between the trio happened due to being in the hospital but she also knew she wanted to look out for her friend whom she instantly clicked with when Taylor moved from New York the beginning of her sophomore year.

"Okay, what's the matter?" Taylor asked.

"It's just...you don't _do_ friends with guys."

Taylor scoured, lightly smacking Annie on the arm. "Hey, I can be friends with guys."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot you were friends with Josh for about a week before you started dating," Annie pointed out stridulously. "Jeez, stupid I for letting it slip my mind," she added, rolling her eyes.

"I'm not talking about Josh," she said, "I'm talking about Ken Matthews. He's my friend. Then there's Dylan, Ryan and Jesse."

"Yeah, but Ken was Olivia's boyfriend. And as for Dylan, Ryan and Jesse, they're in our grade so we automatically talk to them."

"What about Will?"

Annie looked at Taylor with disbelieving eyes staring her point blank in the face. "You serious? Will? He's Melissa's boyfriend and can you honestly say you're friends with him? I mean, I don't know what your friendship is like when I'm not around but I've never really seen you strike up a conversation with him, much less a friendship with him."

Taylor sighed. Her friend had a point there. And she was never going to win so she may as well admit defeat. "Fine then, I give up. You win. You're right. But this time it's different with Conner. We really are just friends."

"Okay, then. Whatever you say," Annie responded.

Taylor turned to face Annie who came back with a questionable face.

"What?" she asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I'm just shocked to know you haven't got a comeback for me."

"Yeah, I know. Weird, isn't it? But it's true. Maybe you're right."

As they rounded the corner of the hall leading to the cafeteria, Taylor followed Annie's gaze to where she found Conner chatting to a pretty brunette, who no doubt seemed to be flirting with him and he did nothing to back away from the obvious affection.

"I guess you are just friends," Annie added, looking back at Taylor, who for an instant felt a surge of jealousy rip through her body and she wasn't sure why. She was never one to be jealous of anyone. So she didn't know why she would be jealous of some random girl she didn't know. It wasn't as though she and Conner had talked about being together. Sure, they had kissed and Taylor had felt something there when their lips met but that's all it was—a kiss between two people. They planned on keeping their relationship or whatever it was called casual. Still, Taylor didn't go around kissing guys on the lips for the sake of having a guy next to her so what was happening between her and Conner? Did she like him? Of course she did but did he like her? She didn't know the answer to that question although she guessed his feelings towards her weren't recipical like hers were. Was she the only one who felt an obvious attraction the night they kissed, even though he was the one who had initiated the cbkiss?

"I'll catch up with you in a minute," Taylor told Annie when she pulled away from her friend and began walking down the hall in the direction of where Conner was.

When she neared closer towards him and the flighty brunette, she saw the girl take a brief picture of herself using her cell phone before she furiously began sending a text message and overheard her say, "There you go. Now you have my number," she said when she heard Conner's own phone buzz a little tune to indicate a new message. "Call me sometime so we can _hang_ out together." Taylor noticed how she emphasised on the word hang, sounding desperate enough to hook up with any guy who would want her.

Conner warily smiled. "Thanks," he said, closing his phone and stuffing it into his pocket, before looking to his left and saw Taylor walking towards him.

"Hey," Taylor managed to say, trying to brush off the pang of jealousy rushing through her veins.

"Hi," Conner stammered casually, shifting his gaze to the contents inside his locker.

The girl looked from Taylor to Conner and then back to Taylor, looking her up and down, irritated to have been disturbed by this girl with the long blonde hair who seemingly portrayed everyone's specimen of an emblematic Southern Californian teenager. When the girl ultimately realised Taylor was going to just go away because she wanted her to, she then decided to follow her own advice and saunter away but not before she gave one critical glare to Taylor for ruining her moment with Conner.

"She likes you," Taylor said when the girl was out of hearing range.

Conner shook his head. "Amber? I didn't notice."

Taylor found it hard to believe the words coming from his mouth. She was sure he noticed her flirting with him. You'd have to be completely daft to not know when someone was flirting with you.

Taylor covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a small chuckle. "Uh-huh, I'm sure you didn't."

"That's just the way Amber is," Conner responded curtly, slamming his locker shut. "You're not jealous, are you?" His lips formed into a sly smile, shifting his feet from side to side.

Taylor was taken aback. "Me? Jealous? No, of course I'm not jealous. You're free to talk to whoever you want. Why would I be jealous?"

"I'm having trouble understanding why you'd be jealous too. We're friends, right?" Conner studied Taylor's eyes, noticing the uneasiness about her. Her eyes always gave out a lot about her and she cursed them every time they withdrew messages she wanted kept hidden.

"Yeah, we're friends."

"Friends," Conner agreed. "So do you want to have lunch together?

Taylor looked around her and spotted Annie standing by the side of a bunch of lockers waiting for her. She pursed her lips together. "Can't, I'm having lunch with my _other_ friends. But maybe you should ask Amber. I bet she'll sit with you. Bye."

Taylor caught up to Annie halfway down the hall, heading into the cafeteria together.

"Well, it's official. I have my first real guy friend," Taylor told a smiling Annie. "We're friends."

"Friends," Annie repeated humorously. "You're friends. How nice," Annie mimicked.

"Shut up." Taylor laughed as she and Annie entered the cafeteria together.

_Yeah, I guess I'm just going to have to get used to this friends thing. Who know, being friends could be fun…_


	21. The Games People Play

**A/N: **Chapter a little shorter than most. I had originally planned it to be longer but the first version was saved onto a flash drive which I accidently put my foot on and broke (I won't be doing that again) and I just couldn't find the inspiration to re-write this chapter for some reason. This is not my best work but I needed to get it out so I can begin writing the next. This chapter was beginning to frustrate me and I'm just glad it's done. Enjoy it if you want to. I don't.

**New Beginnings**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

When the final school bell rang for the day, Taylor slowly rose to her feet, picking up her belongings from her AP Mathematics class and pulling the strap of her bag over her shoulder as she made her way out into the crowed hall of students to her locker before she caught a ride home with Annie, glad to have no cheerleading practice on today. With all the homework she had been piled up with that she needed to get done for tomorrow and the week ahead, she wasn't sure when she'd find enough time to do it all. Suddenly, amongst all the noise she heard someone from behind call out her name.

Stopping in the midst of the hustle and bustle of students, she turned around and tried to make out the person who was calling her name.

Who was he? She knew it couldn't be Conner, not after their little conversation earlier. Conner wasn't interested in her. He was interested in Amy or Amber or whatever her name was.

And then it hit her when she saw Jesse coming towards her.

"Hey," he said when he stopped short in front of her.

"Hi, Jesse," she replied with a smile before she picked up the pace and continued to her locker, weaving in and around every other student making their way to and from classes and lockers in an effort to end the school day with Jesse trailing behind her. When she reached her locker, she fumbled with the combination until she opened it and began piling the books she didn't need to take home with her into her locker.

Jesse leaned up against the locker beside hers and ran a hand through his mop of hair.

"So I don't have much time before I have to get to swimming practice. We've got a swim meet this Friday and we've got a good chance of placing because we've got some incredible swimmers on the team this year."

Taylor peered out over her locker door towards Jesse. "That's...um...great, Jesse." She muttered incoherently, not knowing what else to say. "I hope the team wins."

Jesse stared down at the floor. "Yeah, me too," he said. "Anyway, I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime."

"With you?" Taylor asked.

"Uh, yeah, I thought that was obvious." Jesse answered simply.

Taylor must have looked like an idiot when she asked him but it honestly hadn't really come to her attention until now. She stifled a small chuckle. "Sorry," she said. "I guess it was. My mind has been elsewhere lately."

Elsewhere was correct. Lately she couldn't seem to get her mind off a certain brooding boy, his first name beginning with the letter C. Why she couldn't switch off from Conner, she had no idea but her nonsense thoughts were doing her head in so much that she couldn't think straight.

"After everything you've been through lately, maybe you'd like to have some fun with a friend. No strings attached," he explained.

Taylor saw him smile proactively. How could she say no to an offer like that? Then again, how could she say no to a guy who looked like he had just stepped off the pages of an Abercrombie and Fitch photo shoot. He was that damn desirable with his luscious chestnut hair and dreamy dark brown eyes staring her right in the face. She guessed it help to have a male friend who was extremely good looking. Apparently, all those training sessions in the swimming pool had paid off. He looked magnificent, if she did say so herself.

Annie had been right all along. Jesse did like her. However, unfortunately, the feelings he felt for her weren't mutual. It was strictly platonic. Sure, Taylor liked Jesse, but she could never think anything else of Jesse than as a friend. Taylor wasn't quite sure why he liked her, if he did like her. Okay, so they were friends who hung out in the same social clique. She was a cheerleader. He was a swimmer.

Technically they were both jocks, if you could call a cheerleader that, not that Taylor liked to be stereotyped to belonging to a typical high school clique. Stereotypes were never really her thing. Not only that but they were also juniors who shared some of the same classes together so it was only natural she would be friends with him. She was friends with almost the entire Grade Eleven class. Taylor may not have considered Jesse a close friend in which she'd talk to him constantly but every so often, they'd engage in some form of communication where it being face to face, Instant Messaging or text messages. Still, she wasn't sure why he'd like her.

"Like on a date?" she asked him, loading the books she needed to take home with her into her bag.

Again, he ran his hand through his dark mane of hair. "It doesn't have to be a date if you don't want it to be."

"Then what would it be?" Taylor was intrigued to hear his answer to a date that wasn't a date.

"I guess you could call it a friends date," he answered simply.

She had never heard of a friends date before. It was new to her, which is why she then added, "A friends date? What's that? I've never heard it before?"

"You haven't?" He asked as if in shock and showing a more serious face which he dropped, his face broadening into a wide smirk. "I haven't either. But I guess it could be two people who are friends and just want to let loose and have fun, forgetting everything else you've got going on in your life. So what do you say, friend? Does a friend date with me intrigue you?"

Taylor closed her locker door, piecing together her combination and zipping shut her corduroy book bag. "Actually, it does intrigue me," she said, with a smile. She pulled her strap across her shoulder and looked up into his adorable eyes. And it did intrigue her. God knows, she needed some fun in her life right now, something that didn't come with an ulterior motive. And just maybe this was what she was looking for. Maybe this was what her life needed to be shaken and stirred a little.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed Conner standing off to side of the hall while students made their way around him. He looked back at her in a stand-offish kind of way.

Could it be that he had been there the entire time she was talking to Jesse? Could it be that he was jealous of her and Jesse? She doubted it was possible but still, it got her thinking. What if he was? She was going to say yes to Jesse's suggestion, even if it was just to see Conner's reaction to her date that wasn't a date. Then he'd finally see what it was like to be at the other end of the jealousy pot. Let him be jealous if he wanted. She didn't care. Okay, maybe she did but it sure felt good to think that he was jealous of some other guy.

"Okay," she said. "My answer is yes. So, friend, where do you want to take me?" she asked coyly while determined to fix her eyes purely on Jesse.

"I don't know. I was thinking we could go bowling. It's been a while since I've been but I always had fun when I did go bowling. It is the great American Past time."

"Funny, I thought baseball was the great American past time."

Jesse shook his head. "Minor detail we don't need to talk about. I bet more people go bowling than they do playing baseball," he explained seriously. "Is bowling a good choice of venue?"

Taylor shrugged. "I guess so. But might I say, I will beat you. I'm an unbeatable champion if I do say so myself."

"Or you could be praising yourself up because you suck," he scoffed.

"I don't think so," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "But you'll get to see for yourself tonight, anyway."

"You want to go out tonight?"

"Yep." Taylor nodded her head. "When better to beat you than tonight? I don't have any other plans. Besides, we really can't put it off now that you've asked me to hang out with you."

"I guess not," he told her, unsure as to whether he should have suggested hanging out with Taylor or not. "So I'll meet you at the alley about Six O'clock. Is that okay?"

"Sure."

Taylor was glad he hadn't suggested he pick her up at her house. She wasn't entire certain she wanted to run into her father and have him interrogate Jesse in an unsuspecting way. Her father had always been protective of her but ever since he and her mother had discovered that Josh had cheated on her, they, her father especially, had become extremely wary of whom their daughter went out with. In her dad's eyes, she was always going to be his little girl, not that there was anything wrong with being daddy's little girl but sometimes it became irritating when it came to going out with boys.

"Great, so I better get to practice or I'll be late." He glanced down at the watch he was wearing on his wrist. "I can't afford to be late so I'll see you tonight, yeah?"

"Yep," she assured him and before she knew it, he was halfway down the hall when he screeched out goodbye.

Taylor began on her way to meet Annie so that she could take her home, cursing the day when her father finally decided to take her out for a driving lesson.

"He likes you," Conner said gruffly when he appeared at Taylor's side as she walked toward the exit doors.

Taylor grinned sheepishly, fixing her eyes ahead of her rather than to the person on the right of her. "I should think so. We're going out tonight," she said, trying to sound as proud as she possibly could.

"Really?" Conner asked.

"Really." Taylor nodded her head. "Why is it so hard to believe that I would have a date? People do find me pretty, you know."

"I'm sure they do," he responded, not allowing himself to add on to what he would have wanted to say. Of course people found her pretty. It was definitely not hard to believe. He was one of those people who did think she was pretty, but more gorgeous than pretty.

"How do you know what I'm thinking?" he asked her.

Taylor shrugged. "I don't. It's just a hunch and usually my hunches are correct because I am always right, you know."

"And who has chips on herself now?" Conner asked.

Taylor shook her head. "I don't wear chips. I'm just always right. Really, I am. Ask anyone."

"Anyway," Conner started, changing the subject. He was going to stand there arguing something pointless with her. "Considering you have a date tonight, I don't suppose you'll be up for what I was here to ask you."

Taylor raised an eyebrow. "What were you going to ask me?" she asked. Curiosity got the better of her.

"It doesn't matter now."

"No, tell me. I want to know," Taylor insisted.

"We're all going to the beach this evening for a bonfire and I was just wondering if you'd like to come too."

"Who's we?" she asked with curiosity. Was he asking her out and just using the word we as a cover?

"Tia, Andy, Evan, Maria, Ken…I think…and Elizabeth, but you've got a date."

Okay then. So it wasn't a date. He wasn't asking her out personally.

Pushing open the big red exit door to exit the school, Taylor spotted Annie waiting at the bottom of the school steps. She waved to her friend who looked her way and smiled cheekily when she saw Conner walking next to her.

Taylor rolled her eyes and turned back to Conner. "Well, yeah, I've got a date but maybe I'll come by the beach afterwards," she stated. She started off down the steps towards Annie. "But you should invite Amber. I'm sure she'll go with you. Bye."

Annie nudged her friend in the side when Taylor reached the bottom of the steps. "You and Conner—friends, huh?" she laughed.

Walking in stride with each other, Annie looked behind her and noticed Conner's eyes falling on her as he treaded down the steps towards the parking lot. "How's that working out for you?"

"Well, I have a date," Taylor said.

"With Conner? I knew the friend's thing wouldn't last long."

Taylor shook her head. "It's not Conner. It's Jesse."

She paused before muttering, "Believe me, Conner and I really are just friends."

"Jesse? See? I told you he liked you," Annie told her. "I mean, I am always right when it comes to who likes who. Wanna know who's crushing on Rachel?"

Taylor chuckled. "Not really." She didn't need to know who liked her friend. Maybe she would later but right now, she really didn't care.

"Whatever. What's the deal with you and Conner then?" Annie asked eagerly, her eyes sparkling.

Taylor stopped at Annie's white Toyota Corolla and looked at her friend over the top of the roof of the car with piercing eyes.

Annie shrugged aimlessly, narrowing her eyes. "What? Like I said, I'm living vigorously through you."

She stuck out her tongue, opening the car door and climbed in.

"So?" she asked Taylor when she climbed in beside her.

Taylor looked at her confused. "What?"

"What's the deal with you and Conner?"

"Yeah, well, two can play his game."

Annie put the key into the ignition and started the car, pulling the seat belt around her. "Ooh, you're sneaky."

Taylor buckled her seat belt and looked out the window as Annie reversed out of the spot. "Yeah, I know," she proclaimed.

And as Annie turned onto the road, Taylor muttered to herself, "But I don't care. I just want to get what I want."

And as per usual, Taylor wasn't getting what she wanted. Being friends wasn't so fun after all. In simple terms, it totally sucked.


	22. Working It Out

**A/N: **Here you go. An update that I finally managed to write once I got re-inspired. Not sure when the next update will be. Hopefully soon. In the mean time, enjoy this one.

**New Beginnings**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

"So we should do this again sometime," Jesse said to Taylor as they handed their shoes over to the blonde cashier girl at the front desk.

"Yeah," Taylor agreed. "I had fun." And this time hadn't been a lie. She had actually managed to have fun with a boy who wasn't anything more than her friend. In recent months, Taylor hadn't exactly been out on a date with a guy that meant something more than two friends having fun together. But this time, it was different. It wasn't a date. It was a friends date as Jesse had put it earlier when she had gotten her mother to drop her off at the bowling alley, wishing a day would eventually come when either her mother or father would want to accompany her on a driving lesson. It wasn't that she didn't like having her parents drive her places. Okay, scratch that. She did not like it.

She was a sixteen year old girl with an extensive social life to boot but the mood was often killed when she was forced to call her parents to come pick her up because she had her learners permit and all of her friends were capable to fend for themselves in the car. When Jesse had offered to pick her up, she had blithely said no, saying she would much rather just meet him at Hal's Bowling place. Even though, she and Jesse were just friends, she knew her dad would insist he come inside and get to know the boy his daughter was going out with.

Taylor got that since she was the only daughter out of three younger brothers who had yet to succumb to the world of the opposite sex considering they were all under the age of seven, her father wanted to make it clear to whoever she went out with that no boy is to break his daughter's heart or they would risk dealing with him. She understood that her parents were merely looking out for her but since her father had discovered she had been cheated on by Josh, he was even more overly cautious of the boys she dated.

On making their way to the door, she smiled mischievously at Jesse.

"Admit it," she said with a chuckle in her voice. "You just want to see if you can beat me next time."

Jesse smirked. "Well, I do have a reputation to sustain you know."

Taylor lightly smacked her forehead with her hand. "Oh, how could I be so stupid? Of course you have a reputation. We can't have you slip below the ranks just because you were beaten by a girl." Taylor mocked her friend, walking through the open door held open by Jesse and mouthing thank you to him. Who knew he could be a gentleman even when he was trying to sound funny…or maybe he was trying to be charming. She didn't know the difference.

"Two points. You beat me by two points." Jesse clearly pointed out the obvious.

"So? I still beat you. I told you I was good," she bragged, looking down to inspect her fingernails like it was no big deal to her. "Now I don't like to brag…"

Jesse looked at her in disbelief. "Uh-huh, I'm sure you don't." Even though they both knew she was bragging right now.

"Whatever." Taylor rolled her eyes. "But I am pretty good at bowling, if I do say so myself. No one has ever beaten me before."

"There's a first time for everything."

Taylor pursed her lips together. "Not when it comes to going bowling with me, there isn't. I guarantee you won't be able to beat me. I'm just too damn good for you."

"I was having an off day," he implied. "I'm sure I could beat you next time."

"Sure you were."

"No, seriously, I was. I even got beaten at swim practice today."

Taylor nudged Jesse in the side, sniggering. "Alright, I believe you," she said with a brim smile. "But, seriously you won't beat me. I am unbeatable."

"We'll see about that."

Taylor smelled a challenge coming on. "Is that a challenge? Do you really want to challenge me? I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Why?" Jesse asked with a smirk. "Scared I'm going to be the first to beat you?"

Taylor shook her head, skipping in front of Jesse, before turning around to face Jesse. "Because," she paused, her face turning serious. "Your manhood is at stake. You don't want people knowing you lost to a girl at bowling, do you? What would people think?"

He flashed a smile. "People wouldn't think. They'd be congratulating me because I beat you."

Taylor held her hands up in surrender, her lips forming a smile. "Okay, okay. I guess we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one."

"I guess you're right," Jesse admitted. "But just so you know, I'll still beat you."

And before Taylor could react to what he said, Jesse went ahead of her, his wispy hair blowing as he ran, stopping in his tracks to ask another question. "So can I give you a lift home?"

Taylor pondered for a moment. Did she really want to go home yet? It was only Seven thirty and she wasn't quite ready to head home yet. If she did, it wasn't like she'd end up doing anything productive. She would find herself sitting in front of the television pining over one of those guilt pleasure television shows she and everybody else were addicted to.

Then she remembered what Conner had said in school. There was a bon fire happening down on the beach tonight. She supposed she could go and hang out there for an hour or so until she was ready to head home.

"Actually, some of my friends invited me to a bonfire on the beach tonight that I said I would try to go to after bowling. Do you want to come with me?"

"I wasn't invited."

"No, you weren't, but I'm inviting you. So they're just going to have deal with it."

Jesse stood there in shock. Taylor had surprised him.

"I'm kidding," she said with a laugh when she caught up to him. "No, seriously, my friends are not snobs. They won't mind that you've come too. So what do you say?"

"How can I say no to a proposal like that?" Jesse winked.

"Good because I really didn't know how I was going to get to the beach if you had said no," Taylor chuckled as she followed Jesse to his car. "Oh, and that wasn't a proposal. Trust me, you'll know when I've given you a proposal."

The beach bon fire was bound to be fun with Jesse and all of her friends. Conner was just an additive bonus.

* * *

Down on the beach, the bon fire was in full swing as everyone stood around roasting sausages and marshmallows on the camp fire as they chatted happily to their respected friends. Conner, however, couldn't care less whether he was sociable or anti social because Taylor hadn't even bothered to show up despite giving her an invitation to come. Of course he remembered that she had a date tonight but he had also hoped she would make an appearance, and that the date she had mentioned wasn't going to happen, that it had been all a set up to make him jealous and of course it had worked because Conner was jealous.

He just didn't know why. He had never been jealous of any body before, so why was he now? It didn't make any sense. If he had the courage to tell Tia everything he was feeling, then he knew she'd grin widely and say that what he was feeling was completely normal and that he was one of us because he genuinely liked Taylor, instead of mindlessly thinking of randomly hooking up with her, which he and Tia both knew Taylor wasn't the type to enjoy casual hook ups, and he wasn't about to break her heart, nor was he about to admit to Tia that he liked Taylor when deep down, she probably had her suspicions that he liked her anyway. Tia had always been pretty cluey when it came to who liked who.

All was going good by Conner's standards when he heard Taylor's distinct voice over his shoulder. He turned his head around to the side, and out of the corner of his eye, sure enough, he saw Taylor walking towards their group, with a guy in tow, whom Conner could only assume was her date. So she did have a date and she had still decided to show up here. This was just what his heart needed to be around. His head was already confused by the emotions he felt in his heart. He really didn't need to see Taylor flirt with some other guy, making him more confused than he already was.

"Taylor, I'm glad you made it." Tia welcomed her with open arms.

"Yeah, you're just in time," Andy added.

"What for?" Taylor asked, sounding wary.

"Evan is about to make a complete fool of himself. He thinks he can jump over the bon fire," Andy answered.

"I said I could. I didn't say I would," Evan pointed out to Andy. He looked over at Taylor and smiled. "Hi, Taylor."

"Hi," she said politely back. She looked behind her at Jesse who stood back. "This is—"

"Jesse." Evan cut her off. "Yeah, I know. We're on the swim team together." He pushed Taylor aside so that he could talk to Jesse. "Great swim today dude. Too bad about Hawkins though. You almost had him there."

Evan clapped hands with Jesse.

Jesse ran a hand through his slick hair. "Let's just hope we swim as well at the meet as we've been doing at practice."

Tia and Taylor left the boys to talk while they had their own little discussion.

"So what's the deal between you and Jesse?" Tia asked when she glided Taylor away from the boys.

Taylor jerked her head backwards. "Who told you?"

"Who told me what?" Tia acted as if she didn't have a clue what she was talking about.

"About our date."

"No one told me." Tia's face erupted into a smile. "You just did."

Damn. She should have known that Tia would use that tactic to be in the know of what was going on in her love life. The fact that she had a boyfriend didn't matter; she liked to know all about her friend's lives or lack of.

"I don't know…we went out, but I wouldn't exactly call it a date."

"Why? You just did."

Damn. Taylor felt like such an idiot. She could have smacked herself in the forehead but refrained from doing so and risk looking like an idiot. "Yeah, I guess I did, but I don't know…" Taylor wasn't sure what to say. Should she admit the truth to her friend? But then if she did, she was also admitting that she liked Conner, and she didn't know if she could do that considering that they were just friends. Nothing more, nothing less. But, she guessed that it was no real surprise that she liked Conner. Tia had probably already sussed it out. They did live next door to each other.

"Was it or was it not a date?" Tia persisted. She looked over at Jesse, checking him out. "Because he is mighty fine and in seriously good shape. He's got my approval if you want to date him."

"Well, thanks, but I thought you had a boyfriend." Taylor said, bringing a finger nail to her mouth. She wasn't much of a nail biter but occasionally she found herself chewing her nails when she became nervous, like now for instance.

"There's nothing wrong in checking out a friend's potential boyfriend. Trust me, Angel would thank me. He likes you."

"But I'm not sure if I want to date him."

Tia looked at her with a stunned expression on her face. "Why? Who's the guy?"

"What do you mean?"

Tia leaned in and whispered, "I mean, who else do you have a crush on? If you don't want to date hot swim boy over there, then there must be someone else you like. So spill. Tell me so I can suss him out and see if he's worthy enough to date you."

Great! Taylor didn't need Tia telling her she couldn't date Conner because he would only break her heart. She didn't want to hear that, even if it might have been correct.

But what kind of excuse could Taylor tell Tia. It had to be an excuse that would live up to a reason why she didn't want to date an extremely good looking guy like Jesse. Maybe she could fake her way and she did like Jesse but that would be half a lie. She did like Jesse but as a friend. There was nothing more there. She had fun with him but she didn't want to ruin the friendship they had, unlike her and Conner, whom did not have a friendship, despite telling the other that they were friends. Taylor didn't want to just be Conner's friend. She wanted to mean something to him, whether that meant she had to be labelled his girlfriend or not.

Taylor looked around at the people on the beach, smiling at Jessica who waved to her as she tried to come up with a good enough excuse that would get Tia off her back. God knows, it had to be a good one.

So she stalled, not on purpose but she didn't know what to do. She didn't know what to say either. But it had to be done. Then for a second, her eyes locked onto a visual image of Conner sitting by the fire. He looked bored like this was the last place he wished he was. Could he be jealous? Taylor tried to shake the thoughts from her head. It wasn't true. She was wishful thinking—again. She had a habit of doing that. But she couldn't help it.

He was showing no sign of emotion what so ever. Did he like her or was he merely stringing her along for the sake of it? Was he jealous that she had brought Jesse here too? She desperately wanted to work him out but she failed every time. Why was he so damn complex all of the time? Did he even have a weak spot? She was sure he didn't, not that she would get close enough to discovering whether he did or not.

Taylor was sure he glanced her way. His face showed no emotion towards her but she was sure he had noticed her watching him. But she hoped it wasn't obvious enough to have Tia notice too.

"Hello? Earth to Taylor? Are you there?" Tia clicked her fingers in front of Taylor's face to gain her attention. "What planet have you been on?"

Taylor came back to the real world. "Sorry," she muttered. "What were we talking about?"

"Why you don't want to go out with—" Tia train of conversation stopped as she followed Taylor's gaze, ending at Conner on the other side of the fire. She turned back to Taylor, her eyes wide with feeling. "You like Conner?"

Taylor shook her head. "No, I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, yes, you do." Tia pointed her finger.

"What don't we know?" Jessica asked, coming into the conversation. She looked from Tia to Taylor and then back again with a pout. "What's going on? How hot your boyfriend is? Because he is hot and I'm talking hot like Jensen Ackles or maybe like the other guy from _Supernatural. _Whatever _his _name is. I don't care." She demanded to be let into the conversation.

"Nothing," Taylor dismissed. "And Jesse isn't my boyfriend. He's just a friend."

"And that's because you like Conner." Tia said.

"You like Conner?" Jessica asked surprised. She turned in Conner's direction discreetly and looked him up and down as if this was the first time she was checking him out.

"Yeah, I guess he's kind of hot if you're into the brooding rock star type of guy. But I didn't think you were. Last time I checked, your interest in men appealed to jocks, like Jesse, who, by the way is so hot and also checking you out. I mean, you went out with Josh. God knows, why you did but anyway…"

"Jessica!" Tia put a stop to Jessica's rambling. She could go on and on sometimes without knowing it.

Jessica stamped her barefoot down, the sand curling in between her toes. "Right, Conner. Big no-no, but why is he?"

"He's just not right for her," Tia argued.

Taylor rolled her eyes, anticipating when she was able to hear herself talk. She was present and she was still being talked about like she wasn't even there.

"Guys, I am right here and I am capable of making my own decisions you know," Taylor attempted to make herself heard. "Besides, does it really matter if I do like Conner? I highly doubt that something of a relationship will come about and if it did, then it is my decision, not yours." She looked at Tia. "Or yours." She looked at Jessica. She meant business and this time, she was serious. She had had enough of people trying to rule her life. She knew Tia was only looking out for her but why couldn't she take control of her own life? Why couldn't she be the one to decide which boy was good or bad for her? Was she so naïve that everybody else in her life thought she wasn't able to choose the boys she went out?

Just then, Jesse came pulled away from where he was standing with Evan and Andy and came towards her.

"Taylor, can we talk?" he asked.

Taylor looked back at him. "Sure," she said, moving away from Tia and Jessica without looking back. She was glad to have been taken out of the conversation anyway. All this talk about Conner was doing her head. She couldn't help who she liked. Why was it such a bad thing if she liked Conner? She didn't understand nor did she think she ever would.

The two of them walked away from the crowd as Taylor looked behind her at Tia who was continuing to look back at Taylor with the look she despised the most.

"So I think I'm going to go," Jesse said, sitting down in the sand. He stared out at the ocean, taking in the magnificent but familiar sea smell.

"Oh, okay," she said, not knowing what else to say. "Well, I'll come too so you can drop me home if you don't mind. Just give me a minute to say good bye to everybody."

Taylor rose to her feet, ready to say bye to her friends.

"No, it's okay. You stay and talk to your friends. You can find somebody else to take you home can't you?"

Taylor searched for a word to say but couldn't think of anything other than "Yeah." What was happening here? Was she being dumped? Okay, so she wasn't dumped because technically she wasn't going out with him. They had gone out on one date and sure, she had had fun, but she didn't know if something was going to come about from the date. As of now, that's all it was—a date. They were friends and hopefully being friends wasn't ruined as a result of tonight. Taylor just hoped Jesse hadn't heard of the conversation she had between Tia and Jessica and that was the reason he suddenly decided to leave.

Jesse stood up, sliding his car keys from his pocket and tossing them around in his hand, turning to leave. "So I'll see you at school?"

"Yeah, I'll see you at school."

"Bye."

Taylor couldn't make herself turn around and say goodbye to his face. What was the matter with her? Instead, she heard herself say good bye in a soft, almost timid voice that may or may not have been heard by Jesse. And then Taylor crooked her head around in time to watch Jesse make his way up the steps of the beach towards the car park.

Taylor fell down onto her knees, bringing her legs towards her chest as she sat there, not caring that she was alone. She could have sat there forever if she was able to. Quite frankly, she wasn't ready to head back to the others just yet. She needed some time to herself. At least when she had been released from the hospital after the earthquake and before she returned to school, she had had time to herself at home when her parents returned to work and her brothers went to school.

She lifted her nose into the air, smelling a mix of ocean and sausage smell in the air. Gosh, it was beautiful out here, especially at night. She couldn't imagine being at any other place but here, even under the circumstances.

Taylor hugged herself, cursing herself for forgetting to wear her blue hooded jacket. Of all the days she had worn it, she chose not to wear it tonight when the air was crisp and choppy.

"You cold?"

A gruff familiar voice said from behind her, and before Taylor knew it, a jacket was wrapped around her cold bare shoulders.

She looked around her, finding scuffed boots and then tilted her head upwards, trying to find a face that belonged to the feet.

"Conner." She caught her breath and the word came out blearily. She felt the need to blink and make sure this wasn't something she had imagined but no it wasn't because when she opened her eyes back up, Conner was sitting beside her. "Thank you," she said when she got her voice back.

"Don't mention it," Conner replied. "You looked a little cold."

There was silence, making it awkward between the two of them. What was she to say to him? Was he only here because he had seen Jesse leave without her and he wanted to rub her nose in the fact that her date left without her?

Taylor brought the black leather jacket tighter around her shoulders to prevent it falling off, her nose catching a whiff of its smell—Conner's smell. And she couldn't get enough of it. She loved it. She loved him, but she knew it was too soon to admit she loved him. They weren't even in a relationship. God, she was delusional.

"So I saw Jesse leave earlier. He seemed like a nice guy," said Conner coolly. Taylor was glad he had started the conversation first.

"Yeah, he was," she said. "He's a great friend."

"Is that all he is?" Conner asked her, his eyes growing wide with curiosity, making Taylor wonder why he had even bothered to ask the question. Why did he care about a guy he knew nothing about? And more to the point, why was he intrigued to know what he was to her after she had gone out with him?

Taylor nodded her head. There was no point in lying to him, not if there was any chance of starting something with him, which is what she wanted. It was the reason she hadn't been able to think that she could be in some form of romantic relationship with Jesse.

"Yeah, we're just friends…because I like someone else. I like you." She blurted out. She didn't know why she said what she said and she wished she hadn't but it was out in the open now and she couldn't take it back as much as she wished she could. Then again, she knew why she had said it. It had been on the tip of her tongue and it had been waiting to slip out into a sentence. She couldn't help herself nor did she feel like she could control the words she said, so she said it. And now that she had spoken them, she hoped she'd get some kind of feedback from him and have any hope of moving on, either with or without Conner.

Conner exhaled as Taylor watched his chest rise and fall with every breath he drew in and out.

Just say something already, she wanted to scream out but refrained herself from doing so. She already looked like an idiot in front of him. She had put herself out there and got nothing in return. She made a silent vow in her head to never do that again.

Oh, crap, this was proving to be more humiliating as she sat there. Maybe she should just get up and leave. But she desperately hoped she'd hear him say something back to her—anything. She didn't care what he said. She just needed him to say something to her.

But it didn't look like it was going to happen. So Taylor figured she had make a move now before she regretted it later and things became more awkward than they already were.

Taylor rubbed her hands down the front of her jeans. "You know, just forget what I said. I didn't mean any of it." She went to stand up, but Conner grabbed her wrist, pulling her back down.

He stared at her, his eyes bleakly looking into hers.

"Don't go," he whispered, wiping away a strand of her hair from her face, making her weak at the knees. Just as well she was sitting down because she felt as if she'd topple over if she was standing up.

"I'm sorry if this wasn't what you were expecting, but I don't usually do this."

"Uh, okay," Taylor mumbled. She wasn't sure what he was talking about but she was hoped she would find out soon.

"While we're on the topic of confessions then I have a confession to make myself."

"Okay," she said sceptically. "What is it?"

"I must admit that I'm—was jealous.

Taylor looked at him in shock. She had never expected him to confess to her that he was jealous. Of course, she had wanted him to say it but she didn't think he would. He was Conner McDermott for crying out loud. She had listened to the rumours at school. Conner was not the type of person who became jealous of some other guy. So why was he now? Taylor began to wonder if this was some kind of joke. Was this going to be one of his little antics to get close to her and then once he had her falling for him, he ditched her, moving on to his next conquest? If so, she wasn't interested. She had had enough heartbreak in her life to last her a lifetime. She didn't need anymore.

"You were jealous?" Taylor's eyes widened, her eyes turning a darker shade of green. It was all she could think of to say, figuring her face said it all anyway. She was in shock—deep and utter shock.

Conner turned away from Taylor, unable to look at straight. He had never said this to anyone before, and he really didn't know why he was starting now. But despite, what his head was telling him, he knew ought to confess how he was feeling. It was a different kind of feeling but a part of him also liked this new emotion. So now there was no turning back.

"When you told me you had a date, I wasn't bothered but as soon as I saw you show up here with him, I…I don't know. Something just clicked in me and all I wanted to do was wish you had come with me, not him." He took a sharp breath once again. This had been stressing him out and it felt good to get it out in the open. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I…I…like you Taylor."

"I like you too."

"I…don't want you to date any other guy."

"But you," Taylor finished his sentence, watching him intently.

"Yeah," he said in a low tone.

Taylor rested her arms underneath her legs and sighed. "Okay then." She brought a hand to Conner's chiselled jaw bone, twisting his head so that she could talk to his face. "But that means we'd be dating exclusively. Are you alright with that?"

Conner was serious for a moment. "Ex-clus-ive?" he asked like he wasn't familiar with that word. He looked at her in mock horror before he cracked a sly grin, bringing her cold face in his hands. "It's all I've ever wanted since I met you. I just never wanted to admit it."

They were at the point where their faces were inches apart from each other as Conner leaned in towards her and gradually kissed her cold chapped lips, warming them up with every kiss he produced to her mouth.

Taylor pulled away from him, looking over her shoulder and wary of Tia, Jessica and anyone else who was watching them. "You know, if I'm not allowed to date any other guys then you're not either."

Conner raised an eyebrow, prompting Taylor to continue. "Girls, I mean. You can't date any other girls besides me. Got it?"

"Oh, damn! And here I was, looking forward to the date I planned with Amber." Conner smirked. Taylor whacked him casually across the shoulder.

Conner pulled her towards him, his nose touching the tip of hers. "I'm kidding."

"You better be," she warned."

"I got it. I only want to be with you," he whispered hoarsely before he gently kissed her mouth, enveloping her into a hug as Taylor rested her cheek against his chest. This time, Taylor didn't care who was watching her, because she had worked out where she stood with Conner and she was content with the outcome they had chosen together. Everything in her life was finally the way she wanted it. She just hoped it would stay that way.


	23. Gossip

**A/N: **The next two chapters are pretty much done. I've just got to edit them then I think there will either be two or three chapters left - depending on the length of them - and I'll start the sequel.

**New Beginnings**

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"Melissa, did you hear this morning's gossip?"

Melissa looked square around her locker door into her best friend Cherie's brown eyes Tuesday morning before homeroom.

"What gossip?" she asked, although she suspected it wasn't that good, given that Cherie had heard about it before she did. Usually, Melissa was first to hear of gossip because she was the one who had started the rumour. But this time, she had heard nothing, so what else could it have been about?

Cherie's mass of auburn curls bobbed up and down as she bounced on the spot, eager to tell her friend the exciting gossip she had heard upon walking inside the doors of Sweet Valley High.

"I'm amazed that you didn't know, considering your cousins and all."

As soon as Melissa heard Cherie say the word cousins, she was all ears and keen to know why Taylor was being talked about. Was the entire school still talking about her break up to Josh? If so, they needed to get a life. Sure, Melissa had been bummed at first because there went all her plans to double date but now she had come to realise that she couldn't change the past, no matter how much she would have liked to. It wasn't worth losing the ones you cared about the most in the world, like your cousin. She had already lost one cousin this year. She wasn't prepared to lose another, even in an entirely different situation.

"Just spit out already, Cherie." Melissa retorted.

Cherie pouted, smoothing down her tailored black pants, spotting Gina Chow down the hall and waving to her. "Taylor is going out with Conner."

"What?" Melissa screeched out, louder that she thought she had. "Sorry," she added in a less high pitched tone when Cherie flinched, stepping backwards.

"So you really didn't know?"

Melissa slammed her locker door shut, causing it to thud against metal.

"Hey, guys! Did you hear the gossip?" asked Gina when she made her way over to them.

Cherie turned to her, a smile on her face.

"About Taylor? Yeah, we heard. I just told Liss," Cherie explained. "She's dating Conner. God knows, what she sees in him but anyway. I guess your cousin likes those guys, not that I would ever go out with a rock star."

Melissa turned around and rolled her eyes so that her friends couldn't see. She couldn't be bothered listening to her friends rambling. It was enough to make her go completely insane. Okay, so she wasn't the first to be told. She got it. It wasn't like she and Taylor were exactly on good speaking terms right now anyway. Taylor hadn't exactly forgiven her for telling Conner she wasn't interested in him when obviously she was.

And although she didn't like the idea of her cousin dating Broody boy, there wasn't much she could do about it. Taylor was just as feisty as she was. She could dish it out just as well as Melissa could. It was no wonder they were family. There was no way she was going to win. However it didn't mean that she was going to stand back and watch her cousin know heartbreak all over again. She'd find another way to show her she was making one hell of a mistake.

Gina looked at Melissa and pointed her finger. "Wait, you didn't know beforehand?"

As much as Melissa loved her friends, they could also be extremely irritating to her and as of right now, they were annoying her. She needed to get away from them, and luckily, being in another homeroom from them, was her ticket to freedom.

"Of course I did. Well, I had my assumptions. But what does it matter if I didn't? She's my cousin. We don't tell each other everything." Melissa said; ready to leave as she held onto the strap of her bag. "But I have to go now. I'm meeting Will before homeroom begins. I'll see you guys later."

And before they could retaliate back to her, she stalked off down the hall. She loved her friends dearly and was glad that they had her back but there was only so much she could take of their constant questioning. She wasn't prepared to answer every single question they asked her. She was so out of there. She'd come to terms with Taylor's relationship news in her own way.

* * *

Thursday afternoon after being at the library since school was let out; Taylor waltzed into her house, smelling a magnificent smell. Her mother was cooking something—dinner obviously—and it smelt gorgeous, although nothing her mother made was left to comparison. She was a terrific cook, not that she got to do it all the time in her line of work as a doctor. She never found the time to cook.

Taylor couldn't wait to eat it, or maybe that it was because she was starving. She had been at the library studying for a history test she had the following Monday morning. And although she did quite well in school, History wasn't one of her strongest subjects—mathematics was. So she needed all the study time she could get to brush up on what she already knew or didn't know.

Heading towards the kitchen to say hello to her mother as well, see what was for dinner, she heard chatter. To be precise she heard two voices—two women's voices. One was her mother's but there was another that sounded so familiar, she just couldn't put her finger to whose voice it actually was.

There was only way to find out the person behind the voice, she thought, as she entered the kitchen.

"Hello. Mum, what smells so good?" She asked while still holding onto her book bag. She looked around the kitchen, searching for the other voice, but only found her mother standing at the wok. Now, unless her mother had taken up the hobby of talking to herself, Taylor assumed the mystery person had left the kitchen for one reason or another.

Seeing her daughter home brought a dazzling smile to her mother's face.

"Hello, honey, I'm making stir fry," she said. "How was school?"

Taylor walked to the refrigerator, opening it and scanned the contents of it. When you had three younger brothers like Taylor did, you were pretty much guaranteed to have a well stocked refrigerator and that went for the pantry as well. You could never fill up her younger brothers. They were always pigging out on something, whether it was fruit and fruit juice or sweets. Taylor was thankful to find something to eat or drink when she needed to.

Deciding on a can of soda, Taylor closed he stainless steel doors, grabbing a glass from the cupboard above and reaching down to the front of the refrigerator as she pressed the button to crush some ice, putting it into her glass.

She then proceeded to the kitchen bar counter, sitting down on it and crossing her arms over the other.

"Fine, nothing out of the ordinary," she responded, aimlessly. She glanced over to the other bench where four ceramic and two plastic dinner plates were sitting.

"Why are there six plates out? Brendan's not eating with us, is he? Hasn't he eaten already?"

"No, Brendan is asleep in bed. Actually we had a guest tonight," her mother said brightly, continuing to stir the vegetables and meat together.

"Who is it?" Taylor asked, sounding genuinely surprised that they had a guest. No one usually came around for dinner on a week night, unless it was of the absolute importance.

"Your cousin," her mother said.

Taylor was confused. In such a large family, she had many cousins. It could have been a number of her cousins. Her mother would need to narrow it down slightly. She would have to make it easier for her and tell her a name.

"Uh, mum, I have a lot of cousins. Can I have a name?"

Her mother looked up from the pot she was stirring over a hot stove. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's Melissa."

So that's why the voice had sounded so familiar. Taylor should have realised it was Melissa but it hadn't clicked inside her mind that it was Melissa.

She opened the can of soda, pouring it into the glass.

"Why is she here?" It wasn't a random question to ask. She loved her cousin, but Melissa didn't just come around for a spontaneous visit. There had to be a reason behind her visit because there always was. Nothing Melissa did was ever without reason. She was practically the voice of Reason, or their spokes model.

"She came around to say hello." Her mother was oblivious to Melissa's true antics. Only Taylor and the people at school knew what Melissa was really liked. Her mother tried to see the best in everybody and that included family, like Melissa. According to her mother, Melissa was a sweet girl who merely cherished her family and friends. Unbeknown to her though, Taylor knew she wasn't as sweet as she was made out to be. Beneath the rose, there was a girl whom, like a rose held a thorn and would teach you a lesson or two if you betrayed her friendship. Everyone wanted to be on her good side, rather than feel the wrath of Melissa Fox.

Taylor wasn't too familiar with the other side of Melissa, but at school, she had seen at close range what she could be like if you played with fire against Melissa.

"But actually, she did mention something she thought your father and I might be interested in," her mother continued. Taylor continued to sip her soda.

"What's it about?"

"You," her mother answered.

"Me?" Taylor pointed to herself. What could she have told her parents about her? Then something triggered in her mind. She probably would have heard about her dating Conner. No, she hadn't spoken to Melissa personally lately, but it was all around school. Every body was talking about the two of them being as couple. She wouldn't put it past Melissa to tell her parents.

But she wouldn't, would she?

"She said you've got a boyfriend. Now, I understand why you wouldn't tell your father, but why wouldn't you tell me? We tell each other everything."

Taylor swivelled around in her chair. "I was going to tell you but as of a couple of days ago, we just started dating and you were working late shifts so I haven't had a chance to tell you. I'm sorry, mum, but I wanted to tell you before we told daddy together." She emphasised on the word we, smiling sweetly to her mother. Taylor and her mother knew all too well how understand her father could be when they approached him together. He usually came out second best when she teamed up with her mother.

"It's okay, sweetheart. I understand, but your father knows too. He had just come home from work when Melissa was telling me."

Oh, crap! And the plan she had of telling her mum first followed by her dad went out the window. What was she to do now? She knew what her dad would say…

"Wait—where is dad?" Taylor asked with curiosity. She half expected him to be in her face, asking her questions about Conner. What's he like? Has he ever cheated on an ex girlfriend before? How many girlfriends has he had? What's his family like? Have you met his family?

They were the same old boring questions he asked when she first started dating Josh, and looked how well that turned out. She could only imagine what he'd be like now that he knew Josh had cheated on her.

Her mother looked up from the chopping board where she was finely cutting spring onions to add to the wok.

"He's taken Jake to soccer practice. Sean went too."

And there was another reason why she hadn't heard commotion between two of her brothers.

"Right, well, I'm going to take my bag up to my room."

Taylor slid off the chair, swiping the bag off the back of the chair and exited the kitchen, literally running into Melissa at the bottom of the staircase as Taylor pulled Melissa into her dad's study off from the stairs, closing the door.

"How dare you tell my parents I have a boyfriend?" Taylor cut to the chase.

Melissa crossed her arms over her blue tank top. "Nice to see you too," she said nicely.

"Cut the crap, Melissa." Taylor was in no mood to make small talk with her, whether they were cousins or not. "What gave you the right to tell them?"

Melissa stared at her innocently. "Taylor, they're your parents. They have a right to know that their daughter has a boyfriend. I actually thought you would have told them already."

"Oh, yeah, in between of cheer practice, babysitting my brothers, dance class and home work, plus with my mum working late hours, I've found time to sit down with my parents and tell them that I have a boyfriend. Excuse me for wanting to tell my parents together." Taylor flounced around the room, swinging her arms in the air to make a point. Melissa just didn't get it. "And you of all people know what my dad's like. You know how protective he is of me, especially when it comes to the boys I date. And now that he has found out about Conner from you, I'm positive that he will be even more cautious of who I'm dating because he didn't hear it from me."

Taylor exhales a sharp breath before continuing her rant at her cousin. "I want you to go."

"Okay, then, I will stay out of your way until dinner." Melissa put on a smile in an attempt to make Taylor happy. Melissa hated fighting with Taylor. It was never fun. But Taylor knew what she was up to and she wasn't going to fall for it like she usually did every other time. Enough was enough. It was about time Melissa understood she wasn't going to stand her crap any longer.

"No, I want you gone. You may have invited yourself to dinner but I don't want you eating here. This is my direct family, not yours and this is my house. I live here."

"Actually, your mum invited me to stay for dinner. She offered," Melissa corrected her.

"Well, then I am uninviting you to dinner. So make an excuse. You have homework. You've made plans with Will. I don't care. Just think of something. I'm sure mum will understand. She's a doctor. She's used to plans changing, because I don't want you here."

"We're cousins," was all Melissa could find the words to say. She was absolutely startled. She never expected Taylor to be so mean to her.

Taylor splayed her hand in the air. "I don't care. This is my house. I'm entitled to tell people to go if I don't want them here. And I don't want you here, so go."  
Taylor stood firm on what she wanted, no matter how bad she felt for doing what she did.

She held the door open, showing her the door.

As Melissa walked past Taylor and out the door, Taylor just stood there watching her as she did what she was asked to. There was no come back. She merely went as she was told to do, showing little expression on her face.

"Melissa," Taylor spoke clearly and softly but also strongly. "Don't ever butt into my life. Stay out of my way and out of life, or otherwise, it will be for good."

And just like that, Melissa simply nodded her head impassively before disappearing around the corner.

Taylor slid down the door, sitting on the floor as she brought her knees to herself, hugging them. She knew she shouldn't be feeling this way. Not after the way she had just stood up to the one person she had never been able to stand up to. But she couldn't help feeling this way.

A part of her wanted to run to Melissa and tell her she was sorry for what she had said and that she didn't mean any of it, but another part of her knew that she couldn't back down from what she had done, that it would make Melissa realise she couldn't try to run her life like she wanted her to be. It wasn't on. And Taylor needed to take a stand for what was hers and what would always be hers.

Taylor rose to her feet, making her way towards the stairs that would lead to her destination—her bedroom. As much as she tried to erase Melissa from her mind, she couldn't help but let a single tear drop run down her cheek. What had she done? Had she lost her cousin for good?

* * *

Friday morning before Taylor started on her way to school, she was in her bedroom gathering her books together to stuff into her bag when her dad stopped at her door.

"Can I come in?" he asked her, startling her. She nodded her head, pulling the ear buds attached to her iPod out of her ears as her father entered her bedroom, standing by her study desk, in his work clothes, consisting of business pants, white collared dress shirt, tie and jacket. Looking at him, he was remarkably handsome for a thirty five year old man, fathering a sixteen—almost seventeen—year old daughter.

Taylor turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest. She knew that he had come to talk to her for a purpose; otherwise he'd be getting ready to leave for work right about now.

He cleared his throat. "I'm just reminding you about the dinner tonight with your boyfriend."

Yeah, I know, Dad. It's not like I could forget about it, even if I tried.

Taylor put on a brave face. "I know." She grabbed her bag from the swing chair under her desk and began piling her notebooks into her bag. "But, why exactly does it have to be tonight? I'm not even sure if Conner is free tonight."

Her father leaned against her desk, pushing down on his hand as he looked at Taylor. "Your mother is working the night shift this weekend. And we'd really like to meet this boy together as a family when we sit down to dinner."

"Okay, then," said Taylor, holding onto her arm with a grim smile. She had nothing else to say to him.

"See you tonight," he said lastly, before she watched him about face and walk out the door, waiting until he had left the room to leave so that she didn't risk running into him again. Taylor loved her parents but sometimes, she didn't understand why her dad was overly protective of her, not that it wasn't sweet of him to go out of his to protect his little girl. She was his daughter—his only daughter—she expected him to look out for her. But she just wished he would tone it down just a little bit, for the sake of her having a personal life. However, at least she knew he'd do anything to protect her. She guessed that was something. Now she just had to figure out how she was to tell Conner. She just hoped he would still want to be with her once she told him he had meet her parents. As she swung her bag across the shoulders and headed out of her bedroom, she decided that, one way or another, it was going to be a long day.

* * *

"Do you guys even understand what we're supposed to be doing here?" Annie asked her friends during their computer studies class on Friday.

Taylor looked over to her friend, watching her study the computer screen in front of her with intensity.

She laughed. "I really don't know," Taylor replied, looking up at Ms Cross, their teacher who was on the other side of the room helping another student. "I think we're supposed to randomly search the internet; using the list of words we were given to see what we can come up with. Well, that's what I got." Taylor picked up the sheet of paper, looking at each word written on the piece of paper. "It doesn't look that hard."

"Maybe so, but I'm not doing it," Brittany chimed in, who was sitting on the other side of Taylor. "No one does these lame computer exercises unless you actually want to have a career in computers. That is so not what I want to do, so I'm checking my e-mails instead."

'What if Ms Cross does come to check how we're doing?" asked Annie.

Brittany tossed her long brown hair over her shoulder, clasping her hands together. "Please. Every body uses this class as a means of doing their own thing on the computer. Why do you think it's always filled up each semester? But if she does then I also have it sorted out. I have another window open to Google." She shrugged her shoulders aimlessly.

She fixed her attention onto the computer, her fingers flexed on the keyboard as she typed. Brittany lifted her head from the computer and grinned. "By the way, Taylor, you're a 7.5 on ."

Taylor and Annie yanked their attention to Brittany's computer screen. "What?" she asked, louder than what she should have done. Her eyes skimmed over the website open on the computer, finding a profile of her on the website. She pointed at the screen. "When…did you do this? And more importantly, when did you take a photo of me?"

Brittany grinned widely. "I did this a few weeks ago. I figured you needed some cheering up so I made you a profile. And as for the photo, I took that of you last week when you didn't suspect it. Who knew you took good photos when you're not aware you're being photographed?"

"I needed cheering up?" Taylor asked, sounding unconvinced. Since when was she needed to be cheered up?

"Okay, so I needed cheering up. I was bored. Good, isn't it?" Brittany explained herself better.

"Then why didn't you make a profile of yourself."

"As if I'm desperate enough to have a profile of myself be displayed onto the internet for any guy or girl to see," she pouted.

"Besides, I knew you'd be more fun."

There was a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she spoke.

Taylor widened her eyes. "Oh, but I am desperate?"

Brittany shrugged. She didn't have an answer to retaliate back with. "I guess. Think of everything you've been through lately. I was merely trying to be a supportive best friend." "But I have a boyfriend." Taylor narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, well, you didn't when I made it. Do you want me to take it down? I will if you want me to."

"Yes I do."

"Because, you're being rated as a 7.5, when yesterday, you were a four. Why would you want your profile deleted?" Brittany's eyes found their way back to the computer screen. "There are so many hot guys checking you out…" She moved her mouse, clicking on one of the links on the page. "Ooh, he's got to be a—"

"An 8.5," Annie added, leaning over the desk as she came closer to Brittany. "He's hot." She pointed at a lean and muscular blonde haired guy shown on the screen.

Brittany looked closer at the guy Annie was talking about. "Ooh, you've got good taste. Cameron is hot. But it's just too bad you can only look because you've got a boyfriend."

"Hey! I do too." Taylor protested.

Brittany clasped her hands together, pointing her finger towards the computer screen. "Yeah, I know, but like I said, I didn't know that when I made you a profile. So you really can't blame me for this mess."

"Care to share with me what's got you three so intrigued? Have you finished your assigned work sheet?" Ms Cross asked the three of them as she made her way over to them, standing directly in front of Brittany.

Annie returned to her seat and concentrated on her own computer, getting distracted in what they were supposed to be doing.

Brittany returned a smile back towards Ms Cross to be polite, even though she didn't mean any of it. It was what she always did.

"No, Ms," she said.

"Right then," she replied, briefly scanning each of the three girls. "Get back to work. I don't want to have to come back over here again before class finishes."

When she turned away from them, Brittany whispered just loud enough to have Annie and Taylor hear her. "Maybe I should create an account for her instead of you. Then she might be a little happier."

Annie and Taylor snickered together.

Brittany kept her gaze on the computer screen, still on Taylor's profile. It was clear that she had no intention to complete the work assignment. Nothing good would come by it anyway. She and every body else knew it. As far as Brittany was concerned, she could think of far better ways to maintain her time during this class so she didn't have to do any assigned computer task.

"So, Taylor, when are you going to tell broody boy that he has to meet your parents tonight?" she asked, changing the conversation. Taylor turned to her, with a sceptical look planted on her face as if Brittany knew what she had said wrong.

"What?" Brittany asked, like she hadn't done anything wrong. "I don't live behind the shadows at school. I do know who Conner is, and according to my spies, he's always brooding, hence the name broody boy. Besides, I really don't think I'm the only one who would call him that. He's constantly showing no real emotion. He's broody all the time." Brittany shrugged her shoulders. "So, have you told him yet?"

Taylor shook her head, keeping her focus on the computer screen. "No, and I really have no idea how to tell him either. He's not the meet-the-parents type of guy."

"Yeah, you're right, he's not." Brittany went along with her friend, a hint of sarcasm in her voice, though Taylor wasn't really in a mood to hear any amount of sarcasm from her all too vibrant friend. "He's not even the kind of guy you'd want to be taking home as your boyfriend because you know your parents are never going to let you date him. So I am so glad he's your boyfriend. I'd hate to have my dad meet him. No, actually, I'd hate to be you. Your dad is much more protective than mine…"

"Shut up, Brittany." Annie cut off their friend's rambling in the nicest possible way. Annie smiled at her when she looked her way like she had been insulted before turning her nose upwards as though she was offended but deep down, they were merely pretending because the three girls adored each other as best friends should.

"Well, I know when my opinion's not wanted," she finished. "So, I'll be sitting over here doing what I'm told. You won't hear another word from me." She playfully pretended to keep her focus on the computer, trying hard not to laugh but she couldn't help it and let out an uncontrollable laugh which didn't go unnoticed by Ms Cross, giving Brittany a stern warning about not doing what she's supposed to be doing.

And this time, Brittany had meant what she said. She wasn't going to talk, although the risk of getting out of class was tempting to someone who wished she didn't have to take the class.

Annie looked around the computer lab, checking to see where Ms. Cross was, and then whispered to Taylor, "Why are you so afraid to tell Conner? I'm assuming he's an easy going guy, not that I've talked to him or anything, but still, I'd think that you could tell him pretty much anything."

Taylor ran a hand through her blonde hair fussily and sighed heavily.

"Honestly, I have no idea why I want to put it off but I do. No, actually, I do know why I want to put it off."

"And they happen to have a very pivotal role in your life," Brittany added, before making a motion of zipping her mouth close like those were the final words to come from her mouth.

"I've seen Meet the Parents. No, my dad isn't Robert De Niro but he's also seen the film and lists it as one of his favourites. I'm pretty sure he could turn into him when he's meeting my boyfriends."

"What happened when he met Josh?" Annie asked curiously.

"He started out hostile towards him but once he realised Josh was into sports and played football as well as basketball, he loosened up because they had something in common and to talk about. They spent the rest of the time sitting on the couch watching some sport game on television. My mum and I practically had to pry each other away from the TV," Taylor responded. "I really can't see Conner watching sport as he gets to know my dad nor can I see my dad talking about music. He's not into music unless he's listening to whatever is playing on the radio in his car. Plus, since my parents discovered that Josh cheated on me, my dad has become even more wary of whom I date. He wants to make sure they're worthy enough to go out with me." Taylor noticed Annie and Brittany raise their eyebrows at me. "His words, not mine." I added.

As the bell rang, signalling the end of the period, Taylor, Annie and Brittany all rose to their feet, shutting down the websites they were working on as they began filing out of the room—no one more excited than Brittany that class had come to an end.

With nothing more to say, Annie finished the conversation stating, "Well then, my friend, I guess you're going to find out eventually."

And all Taylor could say as they walked into the busy hallway of the school was a "yeah."

No, she didn't know how she would tell Conner and no, she didn't know how the family dinner would turn out but she was going to find out because she had no say in the matter. If she wanted to keep seeing Conner then he had to meet her parents—it was that simple, or hard.

* * *

Lunch was rounding up and before the bell sounded to indicate the beginning of the final periods before school ended for the day, Taylor raced up behind Conner who was standing at his locker and covered his eyes with her hands.

"Guess who?" She asked playfully.

"Uh…Sadie?" Conner guessed, playing along with Taylor's game.

"Sadie?" Taylor asked. "No, it's Taylor." she uncovered his eyes, turning to face him, where she narrowed her eyes at him, placing her hands on her hips, where her faded denim light blue jeans sat. "Who's Sadie?"

Conner shrugged his shoulders. "How should I know? You started the charade that I decided to follow for your reaction and I was right. You were jealous."

Taylor crossed her arms. "I was not jealous."

"You weren't jealous?" Conner hinted disbelief in his voice. "That's interesting because you looked jealous."

Taylor shook her head productively and smirked mischievously. "Then you would be wrong. That was what I wanted you to think."

"Fair enough, then." Conner went along with Taylor even if he didn't believe a word she had said. She was jealous but if she didn't want to admit it then he would let her carry on otherwise. He turned back to his locker and then back around to Taylor, smirking at her. "But just so you know, you're the only girl I want to be with. I would never hurt you."

"Good because I may hold you to that," she murmured when she thought Conner was out of ear shot.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," Taylor dismissed. And then she realised that it wasn't nothing because she had to tell Conner that he had to meet her parents tonight, whether she wanted to tell him or whether she wanted to have him meet her parents. She just had to get it out, even if it killed her or him in the process. "No, actually there's something I need to tell you."

Conner slammed his locker shut, stuffing the rest of his books into his bag. "Okay, shoot." He didn't think anything of what she had to say.

"So-you-have-been-invited-to-dinner-with-my-family-tonight," she said exasperatingly. Taylor hadn't meant it to come out all at once but she had been in a rush to say it and so the words jumbled up together. She couldn't help it.

"Wait—what?" Conner asked. He held onto both of Taylor's shoulders, tilting her face to look at him. "Slow down and you will find that the words will just come out."

Taylor held her breath. Here went nothing.

She looked around her before her eyes finally settled on Conner. She couldn't escape the words she needed to tell him.

"You have been invited to come to dinner at my place tonight."

"I have." Conner's eyes widened in shock, and Taylor realised he hadn't expected to hear that.

"Well, yeah, but really, it's more you have to come that would you like to come?" Taylor felt the need to explain herself better to Conner so he understood why she was telling him. "You see, Melissa forced it upon herself to be the one to tell my parents that you and I were together."

"Why would she do that?"

"I don't attempt to understand to understand my cousin's mind. But I guess it was her way of interfering in my life because I know she loves to do that. Anyway, now that my parents know that you and I are dating, they'd like to meet you and so they've invited you to dinner tonight because my mother's going to be working the late shift this weekend. But, I completely understand if you don't want to come to dinner tonight. I'll just inform them that you're busy tonight so we'll have to reschedule. But, for obvious reasons, it will then mean that my parents will not allow me to see you, but I'm sure I can get around that. I can be sneaky when I need to be, not that I've really lied to my parents before but there's always—"

Conner gently placed his finger to her mouth, stopping her from talking.

Taylor was rambling again, and this time she was aware of it. She was just really nervous, but why wouldn't she be? She didn't know what Conner would say. He hadn't said anything to her then again she hadn't let him get a word in.

"Sorry," she mouthed.

"I don't want to have you lie to your parents because of me," said Conner. His voice was hoarse as he spoke, but he sounded like he had truly meant every word he just said. "And even though, I've never really met my girlfriend's parents or had dinner with them before, I'm willing to make it a first for you."

Taylor stood up onto the tip of her toes to reach Conner, leaning into him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips sweetly. There was only so much intimate interaction you were permitted to do while on school grounds. Everything else was prohibited until after hours when you were no longer under the watchful eye of school teachers.

She pulled away from him, whispering in his ear as she did so. "Thank you."

Conner smirked, shaking his head. "No, thank you." Conner lightly touched the tip of her nose. "It's because of you that I finally got Tia off my back. So I think I owe it to you and her that I meet your parents."

"Are you sure you really want to meet them? I mean, my dad can be—is quite protective of me. You—I don't know what to expect from him tonight."

"It doesn't matter because I'm sure it'll all turn out fine anyway. I'm sure your dad and I will find something to talk about."

"But you're into music and he's into sport. You have nothing in common." Taylor added.

"Taylor, relax, don't worry about it. I'll just play it cool."

Taylor looked at him suspiciously, his eyes unnerving. "How can you be so calm about it all? You don't know my dad."

"I'm taking it as it comes. That's just who I am."

"But that's not to say you're not nervous, right?"

"Right," Conner gleamed. "But don't worry. It's like I said, we will find something to talk about—your dad and I."

Taylor had an urge to be reassured that everything would be alright, but still, she wasn't so sure that she could believe Conner. How could be so calm about it all? Especially when he wasn't the type of guy to meet the parents of girls he was seeing. Had he even done it before? She just realised that she didn't know that much about him.

"C'mon, I walk you to class." Conner hung an arm around Taylor's shoulders, bringing her towards him as they started down the hall towards their respective classes. "But I'm sure that if the conversation becomes unstuck then we can always talk about you."

And it was enough to make Taylor feel a surge of butterflies squirm in her stomach, that she figured would only worsen come tonight. All she could think to do was laugh inside at the thought of her boyfriend making small talk with her father about her. What an awkward conversation that will be.


	24. Life as we know it

**New Beginnings**

**Chapter Twenty Four**

_You're beautiful  
Every little piece love, and don't you know  
You're really gonna be someone, ask anyone  
And when you find everything you looked for  
I hope your life leads you back to my door  
Oh but if it don't, stay beautiful_

Friday afternoon, Conner walked into House of Java, minus his other half, whom he had been seen with almost every afternoon since they started going out.

"Where's Taylor?" Andy asked when Conner flopped down into the cushiony purple seat at a corner booth.

"Cheer practice," he answered nonchalantly, raising his arms above his head.

Evan looked up at him and smirked. "Who would have thought you'd be dating a cheerleader?"

"Who would have though you'd be committed to one girl to have a relationship with them?" Andy added, slapping hands with Evan.

"Yeah, yeah," Conner grunted, not bothering to listen to his friends' remarks. They could tease him all he liked. They just weren't used to seeing him in a fully fledged relationship with _one_ girl at _one_ time.

He picked up the menu in front of him, glancing down at the list of beverages available. He knew what he wanted. It was what he always got, but hey, it got Evan and Andy off his back so he continued to distract himself.

"So, McD," Evan began, holding his hands above his head. "Are you gearing up for dinner tonight with Taylor's rents?"

Conner looked up, scowling at his friend. Ever since he had filled them in about having to meet her parents earlier, he had been the butt of every joke his friends thought up. Sure, he was used to them telling jokes about him but one was plenty. Enough was enough. He wasn't going to be the brunt of their jokes anymore.

He shrugged his shoulders aimlessly.

"I guess," he mumbled. What else could he say? Whether he wanted to go or not, whether he liked it or not, he didn't have a choice if he wanted to keep seeing Taylor. He had to meet her parents. There was no way out of it.

He pushed the menu aside on the table. Suddenly he wasn't thirsty anymore. He wasn't hungry either. His nerves had combust him and he didn't think his system could contain anything House of Java had to offer. He just needed tonight to be over with. Evan and Andy had him feeling anxious because they were talking about it. If they had just ignored his plans tonight like he had been trying to do since Taylor told him, he would have been fine.

Evan flexed his muscles through the eco-friendly striped t-shirt he was wearing. "We've all been there man. You've just got to grin and bear it." He smirked his know it all grin, flashing his white teeth as he slicked his black locks back with his hands. "Some of us more than others," he let out a chuckle with a wink in Andy's direction who held his hands up in surrender, trying to defend his actions.

"Hey, some of us are waiting to find the _right_ girl." Andy defended himself.

"Sure, if that's what you have to tell yourself to sleep at night," responded Evan. "One day you might believe it."

Conner had had enough of his friend's shenanigans as well as jokes about the other. Now wasn't the time to hear them make fun of each other at the expense of what he was doing tonight.

"But, seriously dude, I'm happy for you. I've been wondering when you were going to get a serious girlfriend. It's about time. It's about time."

"It's about time," Andy repeated, rubbing his hands down along the front of his khaki pants. "We were starting to think it was never going to happen."

"Yeah," Evan said, banging his hands down on the table, bowing his head down. "So, tell me, are you really not nervous about meeting her folks?" I mean, I would be and I've done the whole meet the parent's things before."

"I don't know..." Conner ran a hand through his hair. He slid out of the booth, just remembering he had somewhere else to be. "Shoot. I got to go."

"Hey, you don't need to blow us off just because you're ashamed to tell us how you really feel." Andy cocked a laugh.

"No, I was supposed to pick up my sister from school once she was done with the newspaper."

"Sure you were," Evan said. "You and your car are not a chauffeur. How many times have you said that?"

"Bye." Conner rushed out of House of Java, ignoring his friend's remark. Although he was beginning to feel nervous at meeting Taylor's parents, he wasn't about to admit that to his friends, especially when he never made a big deal out of anything. He'd just keep it to himself, hoping the doubts and insecurities he had about tonight's dinner would go away on their own.

* * *

Later that night after Conner had arrived at Taylor's house and endured an eventful but successful dinner with her parents and younger brothers, Conner and Taylor's father was now sitting side by side each other as they watched a football game on TV.

Conner didn't know who was playing but he figured that the team in blue were winning since they had been given the most uproar from the crowd. So he didn't like sport but that didn't matter. He wasn't going to tell Taylor's father, not when he was trying to make a good impression him. He truly liked Taylor and if seeing Taylor meant he had to make small talk with her father then so be it, he would do it.

"So what do you think?" Taylor asked her mother as she peered around the wall into the living room, watching her boyfriend and father talk.

"Well, he obviously likes you a lot to endure small talk with your father," her mother replied.

"Ha, ha, yeah, but what do you think?"

Though Taylor was glad to know her father seemed to like her boyfriend, she also took her mother's thoughts into high consideration as well.

"Oh, honey, you know that whoever you like, I will like them too. It's your father who you've got to be concerned about, but judging by his reaction, I don't think you have a problem with him not liking Conner."

Taylor followed her mother's nods and peered into the living room, finding her boyfriend and father talking amongst them about something they were watching on TV. Taylor's whole body felt relieved to know that she didn't have a problem on her hands, involving having to sneak around to see her boyfriend.

Except that she did. Little did she know, her life was about to receive a shocking blow to its system. She just didn't know it yet...

* * *

Melissa treacherously placed the empty medicine bottle on top of her chest of drawers. She took a moment to gape at herself in the mirror. Her golden-brown hair was pulled back in a neat, low plait and her face was flawlessly fresh-free from all make-up. She was surprised by how young she looked when she wasn't wearing make-up. Young and red-eyed but still determined. The pills were in a pile in the middle of the comforter on her bed. If her parents had been home, she would have kept them hidden in the pocket of her light cherry bath robe but she didn't have to because her parents had decided to go out, which wasn't out of the ordinary. They had come home last night and Melissa had pretended to be asleep in bed and the headed out early this morning for their weekly brunch/tennis match at the country club.

Melissa had heard the whole thing. She had been sitting up in her room, counting and then recounting the pills to make sure she had enough to do it right this time. They never even checked in on her-so typical. So her parents were out once again. And that was fine. It meant Melissa could take her time. Last time, she had rushed it and that was how it had gone horribly wrong. Which is why she was still here now, feeling the monotonous pain she was feeling. It was why she wasn't in a right state of mind. Crushed. Repugnant. Weak.

"Weak," she said aloud. It was actually weak of her mother to think she could hide her sleeping pills and that Melissa wouldn't be smart enough to find them. It was even weaker to know there were sleeping pills in the house at all. After the last time, any real parent would have stopped buying them. Any real parent would have protected her daughter at all costs. Tried warm milk or counting sheep to get to sleep.

"But not my mom," Melissa mimicked. "My mom never changes for anyone unless of course Taylor was her daughter then she would do anything to protect her."

Melissa sat herself down on the edge of her bed and rolled each pill out from the pile one by one, lining them up in a perfect row. There were twenty seven of them. She knew that off by heart. She had counted them over and over until she had the amount she wanted. They were little white and bottle green capsules. The prescribed amount said two. Take two before bed.

"Or take all before breakfast," Melissa said vigorously. She stared out her window at the bright blue sky, feeling as if the day was mocking her. Melissa had always hated the morning. It meant there was another day to face. Another person she'd no doubt be disappointing. Here was another day full of overwhelming disappointments.

But there had been one morning she had liked. One she had spent with Will, Taylor and Josh. It was last year, after the junior prom. They had spent all night partying together and then driven to a secluded beach to watch the sunrise together. He had lain down on their blanket with his head in her lap just as Taylor and Josh had done beside them on their own blanket. And as she had brushed his soft, blonde hair with her fingertips, he'd said she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and that this was a sunrise he'd remember forever.

"You'll remember me forever, Will," Melissa whispered. "And so will Taylor." She swiped the pills into her hand and stood slowly, grabbing the water bottle from her bedside table. Then she paused and looked out her bedroom window again, wistfully gazing at her climbing tree, and the driveway where she had played hopscotch when she was little and the rosebush where they'd taken their pictures before the prom.

If only she'd known then...what would be happening, or was about to happen now...

Silently Melissa left her room and crossed the hall. The house was completely still and quiet. She tiptoed into the bathroom, gently shutting the door behind her, though she knew she was the only one home. Then she sank to the floor, her back against the wall and unclenched her hand, staring at the pills in her hand, wondering if all this was right to do. Should she be doing this again? Would she get it right this time?

There were the pills pressed into her sweaty, red palm. Melissa briefly considered shoving them all in her mouth and getting it over with, but she had to take her time. Last time she'd done it too quickly, not realising she had dropped a few pills and left a few in her pocket. This time she had to take them all.

As Melissa placed the first pill in her mouth and took a sip of water, her mind flashed on an image of her mother finding her here. It would just be getting dark out. _Mom will still be in her tennis outfit, _Melissa thought. She imagined her mother dropping to the floor on her bare knees, yelling at Melissa to wake up. Yelling about what Melissa had done. Why was she plundered with an uptight mother when her aunt, Taylor's mother and her mother's sister, was so sweet and caring and would do just about anything to protect her children? Sometimes she wished she had been brought up in her cousin's family let alone in the family she was in.

Why was she so ungrateful? Why was she always doing everything wrong?

She carefully rose to her feet, standing in front of the bathroom mirror as she watched herself take each pill from her hand and pop them into her mouth.

_Well, Mom, this is one thing I'm going to get right,_ Melissa thought as she popped her next pill. _Maybe for once you'll be proud_ _of me, _she thought as she dissolved the last pill into her mouth, waiting until each pill crippled her body, allowing her to be taken away from this miserable life she had succumbed to.

And in one swift motion, Melissa felt the pills she had taken begin to take control of her body and she gripped the sides of the vanity unit until her knuckles went white, her legs buckling beneath her as she crumbled to the floor in a heap, closing her eyes, her whole life existence flashing before her eyes until all that she could see was pitch black.

_If you and I are a story that never gets told_

_If what you are is a daydream_

_I'll never get to hold, at least you'll know_

_You're beautiful_

_Stay beautiful_


	25. Not Good Enough

**A/N: **Second last chapter. I'm writing the last chapter as I speak, which I'm hoping to have finished written and posted by this weekend, so I can start the sequel, (well technically, I've already started the sequel, but I have to finish writing it). Which, btw, I am stuck for a title. If you have a suggestion, let me know. Anyway, Happy Easter!!

**New Beginnings**

**Chapter Twenty Five**

"This is perfect," Taylor murmured, curling up against Conner on his sofa as they watched some comic book-turned movie franchise on television.

"Aren't you glad I talked you into spending the evening at my place rather than doing homework," Conner responded. He grazed her arms, as he placed a hand under her chin and turned her head to his mouth where he kissed her softly and sweetly.

"Absolutely," Taylor whispered when their kiss ended, although her answer couldn't be more than half the truth. Her body may have been responding to the affection she was receiving from her boyfriend but her brain was in an entirely different space of time. Taylor knew she should be swept up in the moment of being pampered by her boyfriend but she had too much on her mind to even contemplate thinking of anything else or anyone else.

Conner brushed her a few strands of her hair away from her face when it fell down around her pretty face. "Then why do I get the feeling that your mind is elsewhere tonight?" he asked her.

Taylor ran her fingers through his mop of messy hair. "How is that you can already read me like an open book? We've barely been going out a week."

"Because," he began, his arms falling around her body, "I can see that you really do want to be here with me but your mind isn't allowing you to completely let yourself go because it's preoccupied. So what's up? Does this tension of yours have something to do with a girl about say height, brown hair and their name begins with the letter M and is a member of your family. Would I be hot...or cold?"

Taylor narrowed her eyes at him, a small smile forming on her face as she showed two small dimples. "No, you're hot...definitely hot," she said before she placed her lips to his; giving him a nice, long kiss.

"So tell me why you doubt what you said to Melissa?" he asked her.

"I don't know," she trailed off, tracing the outline of his chin and stubble with her finger. "I did mean everything I said to her-"

"But," Conner added," "it doesn't change the fact that you're having second thoughts, regardless of what you said to her."

Taylor sat up, her face showing a sign of what? "Since when did you have an answer to everything?"

Conner placed both his hands on either side of her face, his thumbs circling her chin. "Just call me Aunt Agnes. So are you having second thoughts?"

Taylor leaned back against Conner and sighed heavily. "I don't know...I had every right to say what I did. I should be the only who can mouth off to her. We're supposed to forgive each other no matter what. She's my cousin-we're family. But I've never actually stood up to her before and she's had it coming on plenty of occasions so I guess it's going to take some time getting used to what I've done. She can't control my life and she needs to know that." She tilted her back, looking up into Conner's green eyes. "I think I need to be distracted from the Melissa issue."

Conner cupped her face in his hands. "Well, then, allow me to distract you." Taylor curled against him more as his hand began roaming up and down her thigh through the denim material of her faded blue skinny jeans as Conner placed one deliberate yet ligneous kiss on her lips.

Taylor let out a small sigh, going along with Conner as his kisses trailed along her lips then moved to her neck and collarbone. She allowed herself to give into temptation, getting lost in the moment as she lain back on the sofa with Conner falling on top of her.

"God, you are so beautiful," Conner muttered between each kiss.

Taylor lifted his head and smiled, setting off a sparkle in her eyes. "Flattery will get you everywhere." She trailed her finger along his nose to his mouth, tracing the shape of his lips.

"I know." His voice was husky. "Is it working?" He pushed the weight of his body down on his hands, propping himself up to look at Taylor. With every word he spoke, his breath was hot against her face.

Taylor shrugged, batting her eye lashes at him. "I don't know. Why don't we find out?" She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her lips and as their mouths merged together once again, allowing their tongues to dance together, their lips began to feel warm under each other but neither moved to deepen the kiss. The softness of it, the sweetness of it heated both of them and while their mouths were light on each other, Conner's hands got lost in her Taylor's hair. He tangled his hands in her long blonde and gently pulled her head back, then devoured her neck. Their lips met again and passion deepened the kiss more, Taylor slipping her hands up under the black t-shirt Conner was wearing as she ran her hands along his back in one swift motion.

The annoying message tone on Taylor's phone threw her from the closeness she and Conner were experiencing.

Taylor sat up and reached for her phone sitting on the coffee table in front of them. She looked at the screen, reading _'One New Text Message from Will'_ and groaned but not before it signalled a second, a third and a fourth message.

"Are you going to get that? It might be important."

Conner pushed himself off of Taylor, running a hand through his scruffy hair.

Taylor shook her head. "Nope," she said softly. Her hand touched his t-shirt, pulling him towards her as she lain back onto the sofa. "Trust me. It's not important. It's another one of Melissa's ploys to get me to talk to her by using Will's phone and it's not going to work." She placed her index finger upon his lips, tracing around them and before long, they were embraced in another spine tingling kiss, sending quivering sensations throughout Taylor's body and soul.

The kiss was abruptly cut short by the piercing shrill noise of Taylor's phone ringing.

Taylor snaked her arm out from underneath Conner's body and reached for her phone on the table, looking at the LCD screen.

"I should get this or she'll never stop." She sighed, in between of Conner's kisses. Taylor pressed the answer key. "Hello? What do you want, Melissa?" she asked annoyingly. She was in no mood to listen to whatever Melissa had to say. She just wanted it over with.

"Taylor, it's not Melissa. It's Will," he said, his voice was frail and shaky.

Taylor freed herself from Conner, propping herself up on the couch as she pushed back onto the cushion behind her. There was something distinct about Will's voice that made her think something was wrong. Then again, this little charade could be all a part of Melissa's little game to have her talk to her again. But Taylor refused to give into what Melissa wanted. She had no right to interfere into her life and she was prepared to have Melissa understand the repercussions of her actions. She couldn't expect to get what she wanted at any given moment.

"Look, Will, if this is another plan of Melissa's to have me talk to her then I really don't want to hear it. I'm sick of her trying to take control of my life and she needs to know I mean it."

"Yeah, well...you won't have to worry about that for a while, Taylor. Maybe never," Will said, and Taylor heard fear and worry in his words, making her sit up on the edge of the couch.

Taylor's face turned as white as a ghost. She hoped he wouldn't say the words she hadn't wanted to hear, the words she had heard once before and never wanted to hear again.

"Melissa's in the hospital. She tried to kill herself this morning."

And yet, there were the words. They were out in the air. Will had said them. He had read what she had been thinking. He had said what she hoped would be wrong. But there they were, and he couldn't take them back. No one could, no matter how much she wished he would.

She had been told them once before. Taylor went still, unable to move and unable to talk. It was as if her body and everything else had shut down around her. She didn't want to have to think about it. She had hoped the problem would just go away on its own. But she knew that it wouldn't. This was no dream. It was reality and also a nightmare, all tied into one. It was her nightmare.

She had so many thoughts run through her mind. Everything that had already happened flashed through her mind. Oh, crap! She had done it again. A flashback of the last time flooded through to her, suddenly making Taylor sick just thinking about it. She had tried to take her own life...again. It wasn't what Taylor had wanted to think about, and she hoped she never would, but there it was again. It had been brought up again because she had tried to kill herself. Why would she do it again? Why would she wish to put her family and friends though this mess again? She just couldn't understand why she would want to try and take her own life? Was she so depressed that she felt she just couldn't take the pressure of life anymore?

Taylor figured that after the last time and all the help Melissa had gotten from trying to kill herself, she would have moved past it, that it would have been behind her. She hoped it had been left in the past as everybody around her, including Melissa, moved toward the future. But she guessed she had been wrong. Melissa hadn't forgotten about the last time. She had gone and brought it all back up again, like she couldn't get enough of hurting herself.

Why was Melissa so hell bent on destroying hers and everyone else's life around her? Did it give her pleasure to know she and everyone else would be reeling with pain as a result of her actions? She didn't understand and she guessed she never would. No one would ever understand why Melissa did what she did. She'd never begin to know and comprehend what went through her cousins' state of mind, causing her to act the way she did. It was a mind boggling concept to get her head around.

When Taylor could find the appropriate words to speak, she gasped before saying, "Did...does my mother know?"

"Yeah," Will said, his voice still sounded shaky from the shock. Then again, of course he was in shock. So too was Taylor. "Your mom was at the hospital when she was brought in."

"Alright, I'm on my way," conceded Taylor before she ended the phone call, sliding her phone downward and slipping it into the pocket of her jeans.

She turned to Conner, his face baring a concerned look. He had only heard one side of the conversation but from the sound of her inept voice, he wanted to know what had gotten her into a state of panic.

"I have to go," she told him, rising to a standing position so that she could be on her way. But something held her back. Conner reached out and grasped her arm gently, pulling her back to him. She came to a standstill on his lap.

He pushed a lock of her hair out of her face, staring deeply into her aquamarine eyes. Something had upset her. He could see that she was hurting.

"What's the matter?" he asked her softly, placing a finger on the side of her cheekbone as he grazed it tenderly.

"It's...It's..." Taylor stumbled, looking for the right words to say, but no matter how hard she tried, nothing wanted to come out right. There were really no words to describe what she was going through. But Conner deserved a reason as to why she was skipping out on him. He didn't know what was happening, and nor would he ever understand.

She looked into his eyes, owing him an answer. She had to let him in. Sure, he didn't understand, but he was her boyfriend. He'd be there for her, wouldn't he?

"Um...Melissa's in the...hospital. She tried to...kill herself this morning." Taylor dragged the words out as if it took a lot of effort to speak those words.

Conner searched her eyes, wondering what to say to her.

"I...I...need to go to the hospital." Taylor climbed off his lap, trying to make a dash out of his living room, but again, something stopped her. Without doing a complete three-sixty, she realised that Conner was keeping her from running out.

"I'll drive you." He offered sympathetically. "I insist. I won't take no for an answer," he added when he caught Taylor try to reject his offer. "You're in no shape to drive yourself."

Taylor simply nodded her head, agreeing with him. He was right. She was in no shape to get herself to the hospital, not that she could if she tried. She didn't drive, but then again, how she was going to get there hadn't come to her attention at the time.

Conner jumped up from the sofa, following Taylor toward the door as he grabbed his car keys from the small table in the lobby on the way out the door.

* * *

Holding his head in his hands, Will waited patiently in the waiting room of the hospital as he waited for word on how Melissa was doing. He didn't know why but hospitals made him nervous. All this sitting and waiting didn't do him any justice, especially when it was on the other foot. He just needed to know if his ex girlfriend was going to be okay. Okay, so they had broken up but he and Melissa had been through a lot together-especially recently-and just because he had been the one to break up with her, didn't mean that he didn't care about her-because he did. He guessed a part of him always would still care for her, even if she tried to turn away from him because he was the one who broke her heart. But he couldn't take this waiting game he was being made to play.

No one had bothered to come out and tell him how she was, not that he expected to be told. He suspected that her family knew he had broken up with her and so they figured he ought to not know what was happening with her. Although this wasn't the first time he had been made to sit in the waiting room of the hospital while Melissa was tended to, it still made him anxious to have to wait until Melissa was better.

He knew that he should be grateful he hadn't heard anything but he wasn't a patient person so he hated waiting. Melissa's parents had rushed into her room then rushed out a short time later followed by Taylor's mother who hadn't been allowed to tend to her because of the family relations rule No doctor or nurse were allowed to treat members of their family.

So there he sat with white flowers in his hands, though he wasn't sure of the colour of the flowers he had chosen. White roses were appropriate, weren't they? He thought about getting her red roses but figured they were for sexy occasions, pink was too cheerful and yellow roses were sent to funerals.

White roses seemed appropriate toward the mood-they were bland and empty-just the way he felt.

Then again, choosing the flowers weren't nearly as hard as deciding what to write on the card attached to the flowers. What did you say to the girl who had tried to kill herself after you broke up with her?

"It's alright. You can go in." A nurse suddenly appeared next to him. She smiled warmly and nodded toward the door. "Go ahead. She's resting comfortably now."

"Thanks," Will replied, trying to hide the exasperation in his voice. There was no sense dawdling any longer. He may as well get it over with. It was why he had come to the hospital in the first place.

"Will!" He came to a standstill when he heard his name being called as he turned around to find Taylor hurrying towards him, followed by Conner.

"How is she?" Taylor asked, hinting panic in her voice. Will only wished he could try to show some form of dread in his own mannerism but he came up short.

Will ran a hand through his scruffy hair, showing all signs of restlessness. "She's...uh...fine...resting comfortably," he said as the nurse had put it. What else could he say? He didn't know how she was because he hadn't seen her yet and he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to see her. It was one thing to think of her but seeing her was a whole other story. What would he say to her lifeless body?

"Is my mother here?"

Will nodded his head bleakly. "She went to the cafeteria with Melissa's parents."

"Oh, right." It was all Taylor could manage.

"The nurse said you can go in."

Taylor gently shook her head as she stood on the spot. "No, I can't. Not yet anyway," she replied. She lifted her head to make direct eye contact with Will. "But you should go in. She will want to see you."

_I very much doubt that_, he thought but he didn't disagree with Taylor. Now was not the time to admit to his ex girlfriend's cousin that he had broken up with her, though judging by Taylor's comment, Will guessed Melissa hadn't told Taylor about their break up. He had heard about the fight that had gone down between the two of them so he figured that neither had spoken since having words.

Will looked over to Conner then back to Taylor. "You sure?" he asked her.

Taylor nodded her head, falling back into Conner's arms. "Yeah, I'm sure. Go."

Will stood there for a moment then with the roses in his hand, he made his way into Melissa's room, leaving Taylor outside.

* * *

Will pushed open the door, walking into the room and found Melissa lying still in bed. Will was relieved to see that Melissa's eyes were closed. He almost didn't recognise her. She looked so small and fragile-not at all like the Melissa he was used to seeing. Her skin looked drained and her lips were chapped-probably from all the tubes they had used to pump the sleeping pills from her stomach.

"Liss?" he whispered, but there was no response.

Will set the flowers on a nearby table and ventured closer to the bed. He leaned forward and ran his hand over her hand which was spread out over the pillow in a tangled mess.

"Liss?" he said again, even more softly. Knowing that she was asleep, he didn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing to her or watch what he said or did to her.

He sat down in a vinyl chair and tried to think about what had happened, but his mind kept kicking it out.

Things used to be so perfect between the two of them. Sure, they had had their problems together but it was never as bad as in recent times. There was the earthquake, his inability to resist Jessica Wakefield, Melissa freaking out and launching her anti-Jessica campaign and then finally their break-up. But now this was added into the works.

What else was to come?

Will stood and took one last stare at the pale shell of his ex girlfriend.

He leaned over and quickly kissed her forehead.

"Bye, Liss," he murmured then quickly turned and left the room.

_Goodbye_ was the only word he had for her and still, he wasn't sure it was good enough.

* * *

Taylor stood at the door of Melissa's room as she waited for Will to emerge so that he could tell her how she was. She didn't dare want to go in and see for herself in case Melissa was awake and didn't want to see her. Taylor feared Melissa would blame her for what had happened, and she didn't need to hear the words she already knew existed in her mind.

Instead of waiting for Will to walk out of her room, she pushed away from Conner, keeping her eyes focused in front of her.

"I...I can't stay here. I'm sorry...I have to go get some air."

Taylor felt Conner rest his hand on her shoulder as she hunched forward, thankful to have him there.

"I'll come with you," he said softly.

But Taylor shook her head roughly. She was deeply grateful to have him want to be there for her but at this point, she just wanted to be alone with her thoughts. She wasn't ready to open up to anybody yet.

"No, I just want to be on my own. Tell Will where I am and I'll meet you outside," she said, resting an arm on Conner's arm before turning to walk quickly out the doors she had come through earlier.

Will walked through to the foyer after leaving Melissa and found Conner pacing the hall alone. He looked around, digging a hand into the pocket of his jeans.

"Where's Taylor?" he asked, making Conner look up and face Will.

Conner put a hand to his face and rubbed it as he stood in a stance with Will. Never did he think he'd be enduring small talk of any kind with Will, no matter the situation. Will was the last person Conner thought he'd be talking to. They were just two very different guys. Only now, they had come together for the sake of a family struck by tragedy.

"Uh...she's gone to get some air. I don't think she's up to see Melissa yet.

Will ran a hand through his hair, nodding his head despairingly. He hadn't been up to see Melissa either. He wished he had done the same as Taylor but he also knew that he needed to see her so that he could rid his mind of all those qualms he had been feeling and finally let his emotions be put at ease once and for all. And he had been right to do it because he did feel a whole lot better knowing that Melissa was fine and was going to be fine on her own.

She had a lot of really close friends and more importantly, she had a family who loved her. They'd help her get through this difficult time. He just couldn't be there for her. Not this time. He had stuck beside her the last time she had gone through this ordeal but he couldn't put himself through that agony again. It wasn't worth all those moments he had used to worry, stressing whether she'd be okay or if she'd try to harm herself again.

And as it had turned out, he was right to worry because she had done to herself again. Only this time, she'd have to recover without him because he just couldn't go through it all over again, making her think that he wanted to be with her when truth is told; he hadn't changed his mind about not wanting to be with her.

"So...shall we go out to Taylor?" Conner asked him, beginning to feel uncomfortable as he stood in the middle of a hospital corridor, watching doctors and nurses scurry about doing their jobs. There was only so much of a hospital that he could take.

"Uh, sure," Will replied, not wanting to be here anymore than he had already been. He had been in the hospital long enough to last him a lifetime.

And as Conner and Will made their way out of the hospital, Will turned his head, silently saying "Goodbye" to Melissa's closed door, making a mental note to persuade Taylor to visit Melissa because though, he knew that she'd be fretting to walk in the door of her hospital room as he had been, she'd also feel better in the long run if she cleared the air with her cousin because he sure felt better. He was ready to take on the rest of his senior year, no matter how complicated he was sure it was going to get.

* * *

Monday morning, Taylor stood beside Conner's Mustang as she stared up at the school, contemplating how her day was going to go. She figured that the entire student body had heard about Melissa trying to kill herself. News travelled fast at Sweet Valley High, especially when the entire student population occupied a cell phone of some kind. No one had heard gossip as big as this since the earthquake happened, forcing two schools to be merged into one, not to mention the whole anti-Jessica saga that Melissa had conspired anyway.

She just didn't know how bad it was going to be-walking through the halls as she listened to students talk about her cousin while they all stared at her, knowing she was related to the 'girl who had attempted suicide on the weekend.'

Conner slung his backpack over his shoulder, coming around to Taylor and placed an arm across her back for support, and she was grateful to have the support of her boyfriend backing her. She figured that most guys would bail at every chance they got but not Conner. He had been there for her since she learned of Melissa's self-inflicting injuries.

He looked down to her, brushing away a strand of her blonde hair. "You ready to do this? Because you know if you're not then we can always blow today off and go visit Melissa instead." He said casually.

Unable to help it, Taylor cracked a grin.

"Thanks for the enthusiasm but I don't know..."

"C'mon," said Conner with encouragement. "I'm sure Melissa will be thrilled to see you."

Taylor wanted to think Melissa would be happy to see her but she had trouble believing the words that came out of Conner's mouth. Would she really be happy to see Taylor after everything she had said to her? Could she forgive her when Taylor had trouble forgiving herself for what she had said to her?

"What about school?" Taylor asked him. "We can't miss school."

Conner lowered his eyes. "Why can't we miss school? It's only one day and you're smart. You're entitled to miss a day of school. Besides, I'm sure the teachers will understand if you're not at school. They know what's going on."

"That may be true, but what about my parents. They're expecting me to be at school after I told them I was fine. What about you? You can't afford to miss school. You're a senior."

Conner scowled. So he wasn't the most brilliant student but he did alright with his classes. He still got decent grades and managed to pass.

Conner brought his arms around Taylor's waist, resting his chin on her shoulder as he hugged her. "It's one day."

Taylor hugged him back, feeling a pull toward his very tempting offer. But she couldn't do it. As much as she was dreading to walk in the doors of school, she had to admit, it was an escape away from what she was running from. She couldn't face Melissa-not yet. She just wasn't ready to face up to whom she had hurt.

"No...I...I can do this. I've got to do it sometime so it's now or never."

"Okay." Conner frowned.

Taylor stepped forward, laughing as she gently embraced his hand with hers, interlacing their fingers together.

"C'mon," she said. "Let's get this over with."

As the two of them neared closer toward the steps leading to school, Taylor watched friends huddle together into groups as they looked right back at her, whispering to their friends.

"I heard it was Valium."

"No, Xanax." Another said.

"First she didn't make cheerleading captain, then Will..."

Crap! This wasn't happening. If it was happening to her, it was happening to Will as well. How was he feeling having to listen to everyone talk about Melissa?

Conner pushed open the huge door as they walked inside the hall of the school, confronted by an excessive wall of noise.

She wanted to shut down all noise so that she didn't have to hear it.

As she and Conner continued to walk down the hallway toward her locker, she was met with everyone's eyes on her as though they had ceased all talking the moment Taylor came into sight. Taylor hated to think she was on show and everyone was watching her to wait and see what she would say and do next. It was apparent that everyone wanted to know the truth rather than hear the rumours that had been spreading around school. However, Taylor was in no mood to set people straight. She'd rather hear them talk trash than allow them to know what she was really going through.

"Taylor!" Tia exclaimed as she walked toward both her and Conner. "I heard about Melissa. I am so sorry."

"Uh...thanks," Taylor replied, certain everyone was watching her to see what she would say and she didn't want to give anything away.

Taylor loved Tia-she really did, but right now; she didn't feel like talking to anyone. She just wanted to get to her locker, find the books she needed for first period and then head off to homeroom. She never wanted to hear the bell ring as much as she wanted it right now.

"At least she's going to be okay though," Tia continued. "I heard Gina Cho tell Tarlise McRae that Melissa's out of danger. She can even go home in a few days, but you probably already knew that."

Taylor stopped suddenly. "She's going to be okay." She repeated silently. _Thank god._

"Didn't you know?" Tia asked her with raised eyebrows that only fuelled to her curiosity. "I thought you would have visited her at the hospital. That's why I didn't come over to see how she was."

"Yeah...of course I knew..." Taylor trailed off, smiling despondently.

"C'mon, we've got to get to our lockers before homeroom." Conner stepped in to take control of the conversation that he was sure Taylor didn't want to have at this time.

Taylor smiled as best as she could. "See you at lunch."

As Taylor was led away down the hall toward her locker, Conner looked back at Tia with a look that said, "It's a long story that I'm sure you'll weasel your way into later."

As she separated from Conner so that they could both go to their lockers, Taylor hastily veered her way to her locker as she tried to ignore small clusters of groups who were no doubt gossiping about Melissa. She got to her locker and quickly fumbled with the combination to get it open and buried her head inside, feeling somewhat sheltered behind the small door. Only then, did she allow her thoughts to consume her.

Was she such a bad person to have not seen her cousin in the hospital? Instead, she had to hear about her progress from family and friends. What type of person did that make her? Taylor was glad Melissa was going to be okay and that everything could go back to the way it used to be, but was that a good thing? Taylor wasn't so sure, though she knew couldn't stand back and listen to these people make accusations about her cousin any longer, especially when they only knew half of what was really happening.

And as she stuffed the books she needed into her bag, she stared into a half-full locker, realising that she couldn't hide her face forever. She had to face the music sometime.

And she had to face it head on. There was no way out of it.


	26. The End of the Beginning

Last chapter. Yay! Look out for the sequel very soon. I hope you enjoy reading the end as I did writing it and the whole story. Bring on the sequel!!

**New Beginnings**

**Chapter Twenty Six**

_Who would have thought that something little leads to everything you dreamt?__  
__But when you wake, it's just in the middle.__  
__A kiss between friends makes it a riddle: are we friends or so much more?__  
__It's tough when the answer is right in the middle.__  
__Well the thought of giving up, giving in, letting you go, is always on my mind.__  
__Maybe we're just wasting time, how did we get so far?_

Taylor was standing with Annie as she waited for her to empty her contents into her locker before they walked to the cafeteria together for lunch.

Taylor's day had gone as well as she suspected it to go, considering the circumstances, even if a day had passed since she had come to school following the weekend events. It was Tuesday and there were still students talking about Melissa, even though there had been plenty of scandal sparked across the school since yesterday, though she guessed an attempted suicide trumped all other school gossip.

Annie shut her locker door and began walking in sync with Taylor to the cafeteria.

When they made their way to the cafeteria, Taylor was immediately swamped by students who were talking loudly about a familiar subject—Melissa. She wasn't sure how much more she could take at listening to these people talk crap about Melissa. Sure, she hadn't exactly been one to stand up for her yesterday, but Melissa was still her family. Didn't they know that? Wait, of course they knew. She figured the entire populated school knew that she and Melissa were cousins. So what were they expecting? Did they want her to confront them all about how it wasn't right to talk trash about family? Yeah, maybe the time had come for her to finally stand up for her cousin.

God knows, she knew Melissa would do the same thing for her in a heartbeat. As Taylor slowly skimmed the cafeteria, looking for familiar faces—her friends—Taylor spotted them as they signalled her over to them but instead, Taylor made her way around the maze of tables to her junior friends, letting her bag drop to the floor as she got onto the vacant oblong seat in between two of her friends and stood on the table. It was then that everyone turned their heads toward her, watching what she was going to do next. Obviously, they were wondering what the hell was going on and why she was standing on a table.

Taylor whistled loudly. So she had the attention of students now, and all it took was to do something out of the ordinary. She felt strange standing on a table to confront the world or fellow peers but if this was what it took to get through to these people then so be it, she'd do it. She was just sorry she hadn't done it sooner, like yesterday. Instead, she allowed herself to be tortured and go through the day listening to what they were saying. It was complete nonsense.

"Right, so you all know about Melissa and I'm guessing you know that she's my cousin." She looked around the cafeteria, some people just finding out that she was related to Melissa.

"Yeah, well, I am, and sure, you may think that her trying to kill herself is news to share and spread through school but you know what? It's not. Not to me because she's apart of my family and to come to school and be forced to listen to you talk about my family is really annoying. Sure, I've tried to ignore the talk but I can't because all I can think about is that you're talking about someone close to me—someone I care about a lot. I know that Melissa has done a lot of mean things to some of you in which most of you are still getting over…" She looked up, gazing directly at both Cherie Reese and Gina Cho, refusing to show any form of a smile at them. They didn't deserve one. "But that's no excuse to continue to talk about something that's private, especially when half the shit you are gossiping about is not even the whole truth. What is this, Gossip Girl? Are you going to start telling the world about Melissa through some blog? Let me just say, this is _not_ Gossip Girl. You are not Gossip Girl. Melissa is not Blair or Serena. She's Melissa and though she may carry some familiar traits as Blair, she's still Melissa and she's still my cousin so get over it. Get a life. Find something else to do with your time like I don't know…school work, friends or some kind of extra-curricular activity if you find studying boring…I don't care, but stop spreading lies about my family because I am so sick of hearing you talk about her. It does not concern you. It's a family matter so please have some dignity in allowing me and my family to deal with this on our own. Is that alright with you? Good. Thank you."

She didn't know why she had thanked them but she figured it was the right thing to do—sort of. And without stopping to look at anyone's faces, besides her boyfriend and Will who both looked impressed to see that she had finally braved her emotions and fears to do something about the Melissa situation, Taylor stepped off the table, turning toward the door of the cafeteria as she headed out into the hallway. She didn't feel like eating anymore—well, not in there where she'd have everyone's eyes constantly on her after that speech she had made. It was bad enough that it had come to the point where she actually had to get up and make a statement.

She really wasn't in a mood to watch everyone gawk at her while she tried to eat her lunch. Then again, she probably wouldn't be able to eat, knowing that people were staring at her. it made her feel as though she was back at the start of the school year all over again when she returned to school following the earthquake and the accident that had happened to her as a result of the earthquake. Though she was also glad she had found the courage to stand up for Melissa. Now if only she could find it enough to take the next step and go see Melissa in the hospital.

As the bell rang to signal the end of lunch, Taylor caught sight of Will standing at his locker and walked toward him. She had something to tell him.

"Thanks," she said, her mouths curved into an upwards grin, making him turn around and look at her.

He raised his eyebrows slightly.

"What did I do?" he asked.

"Yesterday when you tried to get me to go and see Melissa, you made me realise that I do need to face up to recent events whether I want to or not. I need to accept all that has happened despite not knowing what will happen as a result of things I've previously said. And I…just figured that telling people off for talking crap about Melissa would be a start. I was sick of Melissa being the topic of discussion anyway. So thank you."

"Your welcome," Will said, looking puzzled but still took credit for something he had supposedly helped her to come to terms with. Who was he to say no to a compliment coming from Taylor? She rarely dished a compliment, especially to him. Maybe now was his chance to entice her to see Melissa in the hospital even if he too hadn't seen her since Sunday when he said goodbye while she was sleeping, though his involvement with Melissa differed slightly to Taylor's.

"So does this mean you're going to go and see Melissa?"

But all that Taylor replied was, "Can't talk. I'll be late to History."

And as Will watched her rush down the hall through the crowd of students also making their way to class, he knew that she had intentionally bypassed a conversation with him as a means to ignore answering his question. Though she had stood up to everyone at school who were gossiping about Melissa, she had yet been to visit her in the hospital. Maybe she was one step away from forgiving herself so that she could go and make peace with Melissa once and for all. Then again, maybe he needed to stop letting his brain do the thinking and take his own thoughts into consideration as well.

* * *

Friday afternoon after the final bell had rung, Taylor rushed out of her last class, eager to get to her locker so that she could dump the books she didn't need to take home with her and then catch up to Conner because she had something to ask him.

It had been three days ago since she had gone off with her rant to the entire student body and she was glad she had done it because in three days, a lot had changed—for the better. No longer did she hear or become a witness to students talking about Melissa and her attempted suicide. Apparently, what she had said had sunk into their brains and they soon realised that it had nothing to do with them, that it was a private matter involving family—one they were not a member of. Taylor also suspected she had become some kind of person whom no one wanted to mess with because she noticed people she didn't know would close up whenever she passed them in the halls.

But it wasn't something Taylor was even remotely concerned about. Her friends and fellow classmates all thought she was brave to stand on a table and confront the school about gossip that was making the rounds at school. No one had ever been daring enough to take stand—no one, except for Taylor. She was the first. Nothing had changed. The people who knew her the most all knew that she hadn't turned into a mean girl. She was still the same Taylor everyone knew and loved. She was just standing up for what she believed in—her family.

Once she had finished at her locker, closing it shut, she, along with every other student, rushed down the halls as they went about their destinations to either their lockers or out the front door to the car park. Rounding a corner, Taylor managed to spot her tall blonde haired boyfriend talking to Andy as he leaned up against a bunch of lockers.

She hurried over toward the two of them, resting her hand on Conner's as she smiled sweetly.

"Hi," she said.

Conner looked down and acknowledged his girlfriend, taking hold of her hand and interlacing it with his own.

"Hi, Andy," she said. She looked up at Conner. Standing at five foot one, Conner was good few feet that towered over her so on most occasions when she wasn't wearing heeled shoes; she needed to tilt her head to look up at him and everyone else she knew. She wasn't the tallest person around but thankfully, she wasn't the one of the shortest person in her circle of friends either. Tia was about the same height as she was. "I need to talk to you." And as she pulled Conner away, she turned back to Andy, "Bye Andy."

Not knowing what else to say but rather being Andy, he waved back at her and shrugged his shoulders as he went back to the contents inside his locker.

"What's up?" Conner asked.

Taylor pulled him aside out of the way of other students and stepped as close to Conner that she could just make out his scented aftershave without violating the school's code of conduct while on school premises. She traced her finger along his chest-clad t-shirt. "You know you're the sweetest boyfriend…" she murmured softly.

Conner brought his head down to hers, their hands connecting together and raising them slightly above waist level as their mouths collided with each other in one quick kiss.

"OK…" he responded when he pulled away, his breath becoming hot on her lips with every word he spoke. "You have my undivided attention but you don't need to butter me up to get it. What's up?" he asked again.

"I have a favour to ask of you." She answered simply.

Conner groaned in a humorous way like doing a favour for Taylor was such a huge task to make of.

Taylor scowled, lightly smacking him across his chest. "I know you're only joking but it's not funny because I don't ask for much."

"Until now…"

"Shut up." Taylor narrowed her eyes at him. "Will you come to the hospital with me?" She watched his green eyes widened in surprise, prompting her to continue. "Yes, I'm finally going to go and see Melissa. Don't look at me like that. It's not that much of a shock you know."

"It's just that on Tuesday you stood up for Melissa and we were all thinking that you had made progress to go and see Melissa in the hospital but you didn't."

"What's your point?"

"Today's Friday. It's taken you three days—no, a week to figure out when you're going to visit her. Why don't you wait to see her at home? Isn't she going home tomorrow?"

"So my mum said but I don't want to wait. I have to see her today while she's still in the hospital. So will you come with me?" Taylor pleaded, batting her eye lashes as her eyes sparkled. "I don't like going to hospitals alone."

Though, it was the truth, she also dreaded going to see Melissa on her own. She didn't know what to expect from her cousin whom she had practically disowned a week ago. Would she even be welcome in her room after everything she had said to her? She wanted the support of her boyfriend and friend beside her when she met with Melissa.

"Well, since you put it so nicely, how can I refuse?" Conner said, pulling Taylor closer towards him as they started on down the hall. "So what made you change your mind?"

"I don't know," she said as Conner pushed open the door at the front entrance of the school.

"Maybe there were two people who made me see reason to—ooh, there's Will. I've got to talk to him about something. I'll meet you at your car."

"Will!" Taylor called out as she went her separate way from Conner once they both reached the bottom of the steps.

Will turned his head from where he was standing with a bunch of his football buddies.

"Can I talk to you for a quick second?" she asked.

"Uh…sure," Will replied, and before he could get a second word in edge wise, she had pulled him aside from his football mates who stood there smirking.

"What's up, Taylor?" Will asked. He and Taylor had never really shared a conversation at school together or gone out of their way to start one with each other so he was intrigued to know what this was about.

Taylor clasped her hands together. "I'm going to the hospital this afternoon."

"You are? That's great. Melissa will be psyched to see you."

Taylor squirmed. "Yeah," she muttered, running her hand through her wispy hair. There wasn't a sure part in her yeah. She didn't know if Melissa would be happy to see her but she didn't want Will or anybody else for that matter to know what she was really thinking. "And I want you to come with me."

Will raked a hand through his scruffy blonde hair.

"I don't know…" he stammered, not sure what to say, though he figured his disbelief expression on his face said all that was needed without words.

"C'mon." Taylor poked, refusing to take no for an answer. "I don't know what is going on between you guys but whatever it is, you'll work it out. You always do. Besides, I know for a fact that you haven't visited her since Sunday. If I know Melissa and I think I do then she'll want to see her boyfriend and cousin together plus her cousin's boyfriend."

"Conner's coming too?"

Taylor nodded her head. "Yeah, I roped him into coming too. I can be pretty persuasive when I need to be." She sheepishly smiled, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Please come with me."

Okay, so he and Melissa had called it quits, but Taylor didn't know that small detail. Maybe it was a good idea to go visit Melissa. Maybe he should clear the air with his ex girlfriend, but maybe if she saw him in her room then she'd get the wrong impression and think that their break up wasn't really real, that they were still a couple. Will didn't know but what he did know was that he couldn't turn down Taylor's offer.

He couldn't break her heart when yesterday he had talked to her as he tried to get her to deal with all that that happened between her and Melissa and then with Melissa's attempted suicide. Obviously, his little talk had worked. He couldn't go back on his word now. He had said that he'd be there for her. He was going to be there for her—even if it killed him to think he could confuse his ex girlfriend on where he stood in regards to a relationship with her.

He let out a silent sigh as he slung his back pack over one shoulder and gripped it tight, showing a small smile that he knew he could handle.

"OK, then. I'll come with you."

Taylor's face lit up expectantly, as she leaned forward on her feet ad hugged him. "Great, so," she pointed backwards. "I'll meet you there."

When Taylor left him, Will watched her make her way through the car park to Conner's beat up Mustang, all the while saying to himself that this was a good thing. Maybe this whole ordeal would bring him closer to Melissa in a way where they could still sustain a relationship in the form of being friends. Well, he knew it was a long shot, but it was worth a try wasn't it? He was about to find out.

* * *

Taylor stood outside Melissa's room with Conner and Will behind her as she contemplated her decision to see her cousin in bed. She knew that the time had come for her to face the music and see her but maybe Conner was right. Maybe she should just wait to see her when she was at home. She knew her surroundings. At least if she got kicked out of the room then she didn't have to have doctors and nurses witness the explosive scene. It would be her family at home and they had all seen it before. There was no real surprise there. Though, she had said she was ready to finally see Melissa, it was one thing to say it and another to have her words become a reality.

Taylor felt Conner place his hands on her shoulders. "You okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," Will said.

Taylor looked back at Will, giving him a strange expression, then she turned back to look straight at the door.

"No, I can do this…but I think I need to do it alone. I just need a minute with her on my own. Okay?"

Will and Conner didn't say anything as Taylor pushed open the heavy hospital door and stepped into the room. As she closed the door softly and slowly turned around, her eyes fell onto a sight of Melissa she hadn't seen in a while.

Melissa was sitting in a vinyl hospital chair, the sun streaming in through the window she sat near as the light shone against her brown hair, making it glisten into a shade of red.

Melissa looked up from her book and showed a smile.

"Hi," she said.

_Well, at least she appears happy to see me_, Taylor thought. _I suppose it's a start_.

Taylor held onto her arm. "Hi." She returned with a smile.

Melissa rested the book she was reading down on the arm of the chair.

"You don't need to put the book down on account of me."

"No, it's okay. I've read too much of it already. I need a break." Melissa stood up and gently made her way back to the bed, pulling the covers half over her as she got in. She motioned for Taylor to take a seat in the now vacant chair. Taylor felt out of place in the room but she did as Melissa had suggested and sat down.

"So how are you?" Taylor asked her, not knowing what else to say. She didn't exactly want to sit there in silence. Something had to be said. Someone had to be the first to talk. Maybe it had to be her.

Melissa shrugged. Taylor noticed that she looked the same as she usually did when she wasn't wearing make-up, despite the fact that her face was still a little washed out and pale which was expected given the ordeal she had put herself through.

According to her mother, Melissa was recovering well as she begun to get the colour back into her face and Taylor noticed it as well even if she could only assume what she had looked like when she was first brought into the hospital. She didn't have any tubes connected to her so she figured that Melissa was on the mends of getting better.

"As good as I should be I guess. I can't wait to get out of hospital. There's only so much you can do here and daytime television gets boring once you've watched soap after soap which is why I've resorted to reading books and magazines. But at least it has allowed me to catch up on my guilty pleasure shows. And as for the food, it's—"

"No home cooked meal," Taylor cut in with a laugh. "I can relate. I know what it's like. I had to eat it the entire summer I was in here after the earthquake."

"Well, you take the cake. But we've got to eat it because it's not like we've got any other meal plan to choose from."

There was a brief silence between the two of them with Taylor unsure as to what she should say. She couldn't believe that it had come to this between them, that they were actually discussing the food service in the hospital.

But she couldn't leave it like this. She wasn't able to ignore the problems that had arisen in their relationship that caused their fallout. It was not possible to ignore. If Melissa wasn't going to bring it up then she was going to have start the conversation she dreaded.

"Look, I'm sorry I—"

But before Taylor could finish her sentence, Melissa cut her off and spoke, "It is fine. Don't be sorry. I don't hold any form of resentment towards you because of what you said to me. At the time, I did but now I realise that you were telling me the hard way that you don't need me telling you how you should be living your life. I get it now. I really do. And I am sorry. You're entitled to be with whoever you want. I'm not going to stand in your way anymore. I suppose I'll come to like Conner now that you're with him. If anything, this has taught me that I can't try to control everyone around me because in the end, I only end up pushing the people I respect the most away from me. So anyway, thank you for visiting me, but honestly I wasn't expecting you to visit me at all. Not with the way I treated you."

Taylor rested her hands in her lap. "I wasn't sure if you'd want to come after all the horrible things that I said to you. That's why I haven't come to see you until now."

"I deserved everything you said to me. I wasn't being a supportive cousin to you and the decisions you make. But I'd like to make up it up to you. Do you think it's possible to call a truce?" she asked and this time, unlike any other time when Melissa didn't mean what she said, Taylor was certain she was meaning every word that came out of her mouth. Could it be that she had actually turned over a new page and come out a different person—a Melissa people could actually stand to be around. Had she really changed for the better? Was she determined to accept the mistakes she had made and make right with the people she had either hurt or destroyed in an attempt to seek justice to whoever had tried to walk over her? Was she changing her old ways? Taylor didn't doubt that she couldn't but could Melissa just sit back and do nothing while someone walked all over her?

Her motto had been that no one walked over Melissa Fox because she didn't allow it. And if they did, then there'd be hell to pay and the repercussions of betrayal were never pretty—you just had to look at Jessica to see how far she could go in her state to stay on top of the ball.

Was it possible to have a truce called? Taylor didn't doubt the fact that she had changed complete. It was Melissa after all, but for the sake of a family member, she was at least going to give her the benefit of the doubt and call a truce. Maybe Melissa would prove her wrong and change for the better. Taylor would be the first to congratulate her if it happened. But there was also a chance where she'd go back on her word and the second someone went out of their way to undermine her, the claws would come out and there'd be a fight on her hands.

"Well…I don't think it's entirely impossible," Taylor pondered, chewing on her finger nail. "You're my cousin. We can't hate each other forever."

Melissa leaned forward in bed and reached out with open arms to embrace Taylor. After their hug, Taylor retreated to sit on the edge of the bed and stared at Melissa with curious eyes. "So you're getting out of here tomorrow, right?"

Melissa nodded her head and smiled. "Yep, but the doctor wants me to seek counselling once or twice a week…but I don't know if I want to go to some shrink and tell them everything I'm feeling."

Taylor showed her a serious look. "Liss, I think you should seriously consider going. The doctor wouldn't have brought it up if he didn't think it would be best for your recovery."

Taylor watched Melissa squirm with uneasiness. She knew all too well what the scrunched up nose meant.

"C'mon, please just give counselling a go. If you don't do it for yourself then for me…and Will because we'd like to see you well and not hurting."

"Fine, I'll consider it." Melissa sighed heavily. "Speaking of Will, has he—"

"Been to see you?" Taylor asked. Melissa nodded her head, her eyes bleak with uncertainty. "Yeah, he was here on Sunday but he's been keeping busy with football practice so he hasn't had much of a chance to see you but I'm sure he'll be the first to go and see you when you get home."

"You don't know do you?" Melissa tried to get out but somehow the words came out in a jumble and she was sure Taylor didn't understand a word of what she said. It was all so surreal and Melissa was still trying to get her head around the fact that Will had dumped her. He had _dumped_ her. She couldn't believe it. She thought that she and Will would be together forever. Okay, so she wasn't a psychic and she didn't know what the unforeseeable future would hold nor did she own a crystal ball but she at least saw herself and Will being together until the end of summer before they both went away to college—either together or alone. After college, then who knew what would happen.

Though, she also knew that she couldn't let the break up get to her. She had learnt not to dwell on something for too long during the one hour therapy session she had sat in on with four other patients who had been admitted for unknown reasons. It wasn't that she had wanted to go to it but she had been advised that it was a good idea by one of the nurses and it wasn't as if she had a lot to do during the day other than read a book, catch up on school work or watch television. So she went and she had to admit that she had come out of the meeting learning some good tips for helping herself.

Obviously, Melissa was right because Taylor rose to her feet and went to the door. "Actually, Will is out in the hall waiting to see you."

Melissa couldn't help but light up with a smile. She knew that this visit may not mean anything to getting back together but still, she was just grateful to know he had come to the hospital to see her when she was awake. When she had awoken on Sunday, the nurse had come in to check on her and then write down their notes on the pad at the front of her bed and told her that she had had a rather cute visitor come in and see her with flowers. Melissa could only have guessed it would have been Will and at the time, her heart had leapt slightly. It meant he still cared about her even if they weren't together anymore.

"He is?"

"He's with Conner. I'll tell them to come in."

And as Taylor opened the door, Conner entered followed by Will, his face austere with hesitation like he wasn't sure whether he should be there or not. There was a part of him that wanted to bail right then and there but another part of him felt inclined to stay and so with reason, he chose to stay there. Who knows, maybe some form of closeness he'd share with his ex would help the both of them make a transition in their own lives to move on from this and their break up.

Melissa propped herself up on the pillows behind her. "Hi, guys," she said.

And as Conner and Will returned a hello back, both made themselves comfortable in the room. Unable to be close to Melissa, Will sat down in the chair while Conner took a seat behind Taylor on the bed.

For a while, there was utter silence as the four of them sat together, searching for something to say, neither of them wanting to go first. It had never been the four of them in one room before. There was always another of friends from their circle to break up the pattern of having four unary strangers together. Except for the sounds of a functioning hospital outside, could they only hear the heaviness of people breathing, anticipating the next conversation they were about to have.

Will drew in a deep breath before thinking that this was nonsensical. Someone had to say something. They didn't just come here to do nothing.

He looked down at the floor, searching for something to say—anything.

"So, did Taylor tell you how she stood up to all the rumours people were spreading about you in the cafeteria the other day?"

Melissa looked over at Taylor. "No, she didn't tell me…"

Taylor looked over to her side and glared at Will. "And I'm sure she doesn't want to know about how she _was_ the talk of the school."

Melissa blinked. "Wait, was?" She asked, catching on to the emphasised part of it.

"Yeah, my girl embraced her beliefs and spoke out on behalf of you to the entire lunch time crowd in the cafeteria," Conner said, his arms moved from his sides to around Taylor's waist as he gently hugged her.

Melissa smiled at the sight. Maybe she had been wrong about the two of them being together as a couple. Maybe Conner would be good for Taylor.

"She stood on a table," Will added.

"Okay, she gets it. She doesn't need to know the whole story," Taylor said.

"Yes I do. C'mon, tell me." Melissa folded her legs up under the blankets, resting her hands in her lap.

It wasn't like she thought that no one would have heard about her. She knew that word would get around about her and that people would be talking about her. It wasn't the first time she had gotten people talking about her. But she also wanted to know what people were saying about her. Even though she wasn't there in school to hear it herself, she still needed to know what was happening before she went back to school the following morning. It was just so she had a heads up.

"Please," Melissa pleaded with big eyes.

Taylor let out a sigh. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you. It's really boring, but as I…"

And as Taylor retold the story, laughing and smiles were all around as four complete opposites were thrust together under a unique situation. They all realised that this wasn't the end. It was the beginning of something new, exciting, intense and maybe even frightening in some parts. But that was the whole purpose of high school. No one knew what was ahead for them. Nothing was certain. They didn't know what the rest of the year would bring. It was still a mystery to them, but they knew that they were going to have fun finding out. This was only the beginning...


End file.
